Police 'nearly shot July 21 suspect amid explosive fears'
From This is London, the internet arm of the London Evening Standard, the latest from the trial at Crown Court Woolwich of the men accused of plotting to bomb London Transport in July 2005. Thank you Alan.
Firearms officers nearly gunned down one of the alleged July 21 bombers on arrest when they found him standing in a bath wearing what they feared was a rucksack filled with explosives, a court heard today. Wearing full body armour and helmets, and heavily armed, they burst into a house in Birmingham where Yassin Omar was hiding during a dawn raid on July 27.
Specialist police officers told Woolwich Crown Court how stun grenades were thrown into every room before a violent struggle ensued with the defendant.
One officer said he punched 26-year-old Omar - who was fully clothed - as hard as he could in the face while another repeatedly stunned him with a Taser gun. At one point another officer had the safety catch off his sub-machine gun and was aiming his weapon at the back of Omar's head. Only identified as PC 7512, he told the court: "In all honesty, I still don't know to this day how I did not shoot him."
The court was told how Omar fled London the day after the alleged attacks by disguising himself in a burkha and travelling to the Midlands city by bus.
He sought refuge in the unobtrusive red brick terraced house until he was tracked down by police, the court was told.
Omar, from New Southgate in north London, is one of six defendants who deny charges of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions likely to endanger life.
Posted on 02/19/2007 5:14 PM by Esmerelda Weatherwax
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
%20(2).jpg)
.jpg)
