Loan called in 'to fund attacks'

A former Shropshire doctor asked a friend to return a loan of £1,000 so he could fund terror attacks in Glasgow and London, a court heard.

Mohammed Asha had loaned the cash to a friend but then took it back and added another £300 to it to give to Bilal Abdulla and Kafeel Ahmed, the prosecution claim. The pair are then alleged to have spent Asha's £1,300 on the bomb vehicles and equipment used in the attack on Glasgow Airport and the two failed attacks in London.

Asha, who worked at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for 12 months, and Abdulla, from Paisley, Scotland, both deny conspiracy to murder and to cause explosions.

The jury at Woolwich Crown Court was yesterday told that Abdulla had considered loans, ISAs and credit cards as a means of bank rolling the car bomb attacks.

Mr Jonathan Laidlaw QC, prosecuting, told the jury Asha had asked for the cash back on May 26 – a month before the attacks took place.

The prosecution claims that 28-year-old Asha worked behind the scenes, providing advice, cash and equipment.

Mr Laidlaw told the court Abdulla, using an internet messaging service, asked Ahmed: "Is it possible to get a loan from the bank to fund the project?"

He also said he needed a credit card.

Engineering student Ahmed replied: "I told you the approximate costing in it."

Ahmed died from his burns several weeks after he drove a Jeep packed with gas canisters and petrol into the main entrance to the terminal building of Glasgow Airport on June 30 last year.

Abdulla was arrested next to the flaming vehicle despite trying to flee the scene and injuring people who were trying to stop him causing any more damage. Asha was arrested after being stopped on the motorway in Cheshire.

It was also alleged that Ahmed and Abdulla travelled to London on May 19 and 20 to seek out possible sites for attacks.

Two car bombs were left in London's West End by the pair, it is claimed, but mobile phone detonators failed to work in the early hours of June 29.

The trial continues.

By Kirsty Smallman