'Musketeers terror cell' trial halted in wake of Westminster attack

The trial of the alleged "Musketeers" terror cell accused of planning anattack with knives and a pipe bomb has been brought to a halt in the wake of the Westminster atrocity.

Naweed Ali, 29, and Khobaib Hussain, 25, both of Sparkhill in Birmingham, and Mohibur Rahman, 32, and Tahir Aziz, 38, of Stoke-on-Trent, are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of preparing terrorist acts last summer.

Just as prosecutor Gareth Patterson QC was outlining the case on Wednesday, events were unfolding outside Parliament a few miles away which led to the deaths of four people, including the attacker.

Today, trial Judge Mr Justice Globe called jurors back into court only to sendthem away until next Tuesday. He said:

On Wednesday, Mr Patterson had told how Ali, Rahman and Hussain had shared "highly significant" encrypted messages using a Telegram group called the Three Musketeers.

All four defendants had been under surveillance last summer as they walked and "made plans" in a park days before their arrests on August 26.

At the end of July, student Hussain began working as a delivery driver atHeroes Couriers in Birmingham for an undercover officer "Vincent".

In early August, Ali contacted "Vincent" for a job and it was on his firstday at the courier firm that his Seat Leon was searched and the defendants were arrested.

Officers allegedly uncovered a partly constructed pipe bomb, a machete with "kafir" - meaning infidel - scratched on the blade and an imitation gun.

Aziz's Ford Fiesta was also searched on the same day and a "large bladedweapon" was found, the court heard.

Jurors were told the men shared the same violent ideology, which was revealed in examination of their phones and computers.

Three months before their arrest, Rahman sent text messages to jailed Islamic State supporter Anjem Choudary's phone while the preacher was awaiting trial, about him and Aziz visiting him, the court heard.

Days later, on May 14, Rahman allegedly sent messages "celebrating" theCharlie Hebdo attack in Paris.

His phone contained an image of last year's terror attack in Nice in which 86people were mown down by a truck and killed on Bastille Day.

Just a few days before his arrest, searches were made on his laptop for a documentary on the "liquid bomb plot", the court heard.

Aziz's phone allegedly had partly deleted files on it with instructions on howto make home-made poisons and bombs. He had also allegedly searched eBay for guns, the court heard.

The defendants deny the charge against them.