http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6272847.stm
Defendants 'attracted to Islam' The 21 July bomb plot trial has heard from a former school friend of two of the defendants about how they first became interested in Islam. Stephen Bentley went to school with Adel Yahya and also befriended Yassin Omar, who attended a different school. Mr Bentley, a 26-year-old data analyst, said he had known both men since the age of 13. He said they had shared a love of football and computer games. Asked by Max Hill, prosecuting, what Mr Yahya was like as a youngster he said: "He was a very friendly guy, very into football, Arsenal fan. Very into computer games, boys' stuff, you know." Mr Bentley, who was brought up in a Christian family, said after leaving school in north London he went to university and only came back to see his friends in the summer holidays. He said both had become very interested in Islam and he said they had talked to him about the religion and even persuaded him to convert. Later, under cross examination, Mr Bentley was asked what attracted him to Islam. He said: "It seemed to have a lot of the answers to life's questions." Mr Bentley said Mr Omar began wearing a robe and a hat, rather than western clothing. He was asked what views Mr Omar had about world affairs. "He said about the Taleban establishing an Islamic state in Afghanistan. He believed an Islamic state would be a good thing so it seemed that he supported them." Mr Bentley said Mr Omar, who was Somali but lived with British foster parents, also supported the Palestinian cause. He said Mr Omar and Mr Yahya often went to the Finsbury Park mosque to hear the radical preacher Abu Hamza. Mr Bentley was asked about Mr Omar's views about 9/11. "He said he didn't think it was done by Osama Bin Laden," he said. Mr Hill asked him what had led Mr Omar to take that view. "He said Abu Hamza said it wasn't and Abu Hamza knew Osama Bin Laden," he replied. He was asked if Mr Omar had any views about the British government at the time. He replied: "Nothing specific but I suppose that he had a feeling the government in this country was too much on the side of the American government." Mr Bentley also said that Mr Yahya made it clear he did not trust the British media to report world affairs accurately. Mr Bentley said he returned to university in October 2001 and lost contact with Mr Omar and Mr Yahya. He said he contacted police shortly after 21 July 2005 because he recognised the name Yassin Omar. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
