London bomb plot suspect 'going to go guilty'

LONDON: One of six men accused of plotting a second string of bomb attacks in London in July 2005 wants to give evidence against his co-accused and is thinking of changing his plea to guilty, according to media reports.   

Hussein Osman also told prison officers that his co-defendant, Muktar Said Ibrahim, was the brains behind the plan to carry out suicide bombings on London's transport system two weeks after similar attacks had killed 52 commuters.   

The evidence emerged on Monday from two prison officers who told the jury at Woolwich Crown Court Osman had spoken to them in his cell at Belmarsh top security prison in the early hours of last Friday, the BBC said.   

Osman told one, Philip Bell, that he was "going to go guilty" and that he would sue his co-defendant, mouthing the name 'Ibrahim'.   

Later, he told another officer, Ben Murray, that Ibrahim was behind the plot "trying to destroy parts of London" on July 21 and had bullied him into taking part.   

Murray also said that Osman had asked to see someone about giving evidence against his co-accused and that he wanted to see someone from MI5.   

So far, Osman has not changed his ''not guilty'' plea.   

During the trial, which began in January, another of the six African-born suspected plotters, Manfo Asiedu, broke ranks with his other co-defendants saying the plot was real and that Ibrahim had masterminded it.   

Since then, Asiedu has been seated separately from the other defendants -- Ibrahim, Osman, Yassin Hassan Omar, Ramzi Mohammed and Adel Yahya -- in the dock for his own protection.   

The prosecution say the six men had planned to set off bombs on three underground trains and a bus, and that the plot only failed because they had incorrectly made the explosives.   

The men all deny conspiracy to murder, arguing the plot was a hoax intended to scare and not to kill.   

The trial, which is nearing its conclusion, continues.