British born Muslims Irfan Naseer, 31, Irfan Khalid, 27, and Ashik Ali, 27, were convicted last week for plotting to launch bomb attacks across Britain.
Inspired by the online sermons of Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed last year by a US drone attack, the trio planned a huge series of explosions at crowded shopping centres and railway stations across Britain.
Judge Justice Henriques said: ‘You were seeking to recruit a team of suicide bombers to carry out a spectacular bombing campaign, one which would create an anniversary along the lines of 7/7 or 9/11.
According to the police, the bomb plotters had the means, the will and the know-how to carry out mass murder in the biggest terror attack on the British mainland ‘in a generation’.
Naseer was found guilty on five counts preparing for terrorism, Khalid was convicted of four, and Ali was convicted of three, all between Christmas Day 2010 and September 19 2011.
Although willing to cause havoc in the UK, the operational capabilities of the convicts are highly disputed by the media. Despite the long surveillance period the police report admitted that the trio did not identify any targets. More importantly, despite their attempts they could not get hold of any explosive.
The trio is expected to receive the highest sentence.
