TWO NHS doctors accused of trying to murder hundreds of people in Glasgow and London using car bombs were motivated by "a fundamental form of Islam," a court heard yesterday.
Bilal Abdulla, 29, and Mohammed Asha, 28, are on trial for their alleged involvement in attacks on Glasgow Airport's main terminal and a central London nightclub last year.
Both men deny conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions lik
ely to endanger life between 1 January, 2006 and 1 July, 2007.
Speaking at Woolwich Crown Court, Mr Justice Mackay said jurors must try the men on the facts alone and not on any prejudices, beliefs or personal opinions. He said the men were charged with conspiring to murder and cause explosions in attacks on London's West End and Glasgow Airport over two days last summer.
The judge said: "The prosecution case is that both these defendants and a third man called Kafeel Ahmed, who died in the third of these incidents, were terrorists motivated by their belief in a fundamental form of Islam.
"It is essential that the jury that is to try them makes its decisions based solely on the evidence it hears and it is given in this court, and not based on any prejudices, beliefs or personal opinions the members of the jury may have."
Mr Justice Mackay was addressing potential jurors before the case begins today.
Members of the public selected for jury service in the trial, which is expected to last between eight and ten weeks, were told the two defendants worked as doctors at several NHS hospitals. They were told Abdulla worked at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.
Asha worked at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge; Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli; Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.
Potential jurors were told they may not be able to serve if they or a close relative had been treated by either of the doctors or if they knew any of the witnesses in the case.
They were also asked if they had been the victim of a terrorist attack or worked for the police, Crown Prosecution Service, prison service, armed forces or security services.
The judge said: "In this case, the two defendants that you see in the dock are charged with taking part in a conspiracy to murder and cause explosions with the intent of endangering life.
"It is the prosecution's case that, as a result of this conspiracy, two attempts were made to explode car bombs in the West End of London which, happily, were not successful.
"On the following day, there was an unsuccessful attempt to mount a suicide bomb attack on Glasgow Airport."
Iraqi-born Abdulla was allegedly arrested after a burning Jeep was driven into the main terminal building at Glasgow Airport on 30 June last year.
Jordanian Asha, a neurologist, was arrested on the M6 in Cheshire later that day.
Ahmed, 28, died 33 days later from critical burns suffered in the airport attack. He was the driver of the vehicle.
Both men are accused of conspiring with Ahmed and others unknown to murder and cause explosions.
