Terrorist trial convictions (30 April 2007)

Five men were convicted today for terrorist offences, including conspiracy to cause explosions in the United Kingdom. The plotters acquired a large amount of ammonium nitrate fertiliser from which they planned to make explosives with the aim of causing mass casualties.

The Old Bailey trial, which took a year, followed arrests in March 2004 after a joint investigation involving the police and the Security Service. It was one of the largest investigations in the Service's history. In a written statement issued after the verdict was announced, the Director General of the Security Service, Jonathan Evans, said:

"I welcome this outcome. It is recognition of the hard work put in by my staff, the police and other agencies, and represents another plot prevented - one of a growing number of potentially devastating attacks that the Service has stopped."

Investigations following the 7 July 2005 terrorist attacks in London revealed a number of connections between the fertiliser bomb plotters and two of the 7 July bombers, who appeared on the periphery of the fertiliser bomb plot. Due to legal restrictions arising from the trial, we have previously been unable to discuss these links publicly.

The reporting restrictions have now been lifted. Mr. Evans said:

"We are today on our website providing more information to the public on the links between those convicted today and the 7 July bombers. The Security Service will never have the capacity to investigate everyone who appears on the periphery of every operation. I believe the account we are publishing here will make this clear."