ELIZABETH BARRETT
The self-styled leader of a gang of Islamic fanatics accused of plotting to blow up passenger jets vowed to teach the West a "lesson they will never forget", a court heard yesterday.

Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27, made the chilling claim during a 16-minute "martyrdom" video played in full for the first time at Woolwich Crown Court.

Mr Ali is one of eight men on trial accused of conspiring to murder thousands of people by exploding home-made liquid bombs on aircraft in August 2006.

Speaking in front of a black flag covered in Arabic writing, Mr Ali said: "This is the opportunity to punish and humiliate the kuffar (unbelievers), to teach them a lesson they will never forget. It is to tell them we Muslim people have pride."

With a pointed reference to Osama bin Laden he added: "Sheikh Osama warned you many times to leave our lands or you will be destroyed, and now the time has come for you to be destroyed."

Mr Ali goes on to attack British and American foreign policy for "slaughtering our people" in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine.

Wearing a traditional black and white headscarf, he accuses the unbelievers of showing more concern for animals by organising foxhunting demonstrations and says he considers no-one innocent.

Just before wiping the sweat from his brow with a towel, he adds: "I am over the moon that Allah has given me the opportunity to lead this blessed operation."

Six of the defendants made suicide videos. They were found in the Assad Sarwar's car and the majority on a tape found in the garage of his High Wycombe home.

The defendants are: Mr Ali, aka Ahmed Ali Khan, 27, of Walthamstow, east London, Mr Sarwar, 27, of High Wycombe, Tanvir Hussain, 27, of Leyton, east London, Mohammed Gulzar, 26, of Barking, Essex, Ibrahim Savant, 27, of Stoke Newington, north London, Arafat Waheed Khan, 26, and Waheed Zaman, 23, both of Walthamstow and Islam, aka Brian Young, 29, of Plaistow, east London.

In his video, Mr Savant calls on Western leaders to "cease occupation of our land". He says: "All Muslims take heed, remove yourself from the grasp of the kuffar before you are counted as one of them."

Mr Hussain claims in his footage that it is an obligation to carry out jihad (holy war).

He continues by saying economic, military and government targets are the "battlegrounds of today".

Stating in his video that he has not been brainwashed, Mr Zaman says that he could have lived a life of ease but has instead chosen to "fight for the sake of Allah".

In a second nine-minute video featuring Mr Khan he speaks of his desire to obtain paradise.

He warns: "We will rain upon you such death and destruction that you will never feel peace and security."

Jabbing his finger at the screen, Mr Khan hits out at the "bootlickers who stand shoulder to shoulder with the kuffar". The jury also heard details of objects recovered from Mr Sarwar's home during a police search.

Among items found in the garage were two five-litre bottles of 20% hydrogen peroxide - a strong oxidising agent which can also be used in the manufacture of primary high explosives.

Other items found included a plastic funnel and latex gloves.

All eight defendants deny the offences.

The trial was adjourned until this morning.