July 21 suspect speaks of 'regret'

One of the alleged July 21 bombers has described the plan to detonate rucksack explosives on London's transport network as "stupid".

Ramzi Mohammed, the so-called Oval bomber, was caught on CCTV sprinting from the train.

The 25-year-old has admitted setting off the device but insists it was only supposed to make a popping noise and was in protest against the war in Iraq.

But when it caused chaos and led to his arrest, he realised this had been foolish, Woolwich Crown Court was told.

He said: "It was a stupid idea, I regretted it. It did not help (attitudes towards Muslims), it made it worse."

Detailing his background, Mohammed said he was born in Somalia but fled to the UK via Kenya in 1998, with his younger brother Wabi.

He lived in Hayes, near Slough, where as an 18-year-old he had a carefree life and made friends with co-defendant Hussain Osman.

"I was just a young teenager, I was going to play football, going out clubbing. I used to drink and go with girls, I was just having fun."

Referring to Osman, he went on: "We were good friends, we used to go out together clubbing, chasing girls and going to house parties."

The accused said he met his partner Azeb and the couple had two children although they were not married. They finally went through with a wedding ceremony while he was in prison last year.

Mohammed told the court he had worked in two bars in Waterloo Station in 2001 - the Reef Bar and then Coopers.

By 2003 he had gradually turned towards Islam, praying five times a day and fasting when necessary.

He moved out of the house he shared with Azeb because they were not married and left his job because it involved alcohol.

The jury was told that Mohammed believed that in Islam killing was wrong and he rejected the concept of suicide bombing.

He denied writing Arabic script on his cell wall because he said he was not very good at Arabic. He told the court he had taken a part-time course at Southwark College but left because it was too difficult.

He said: "I could not read it because it was too hard, it was too advanced for me."

One of the inscriptions said: "Al-Qaeda is a book that guides and a sword which gives victory."

Mohammed said the words were un-Islamic and when asked what he thought about al-Qaeda, he replied: "They are a group of terrorists who live in the mountains."

Mohammed is among six men accused of taking part in a plot to carry out a series of suicide bombings.

The others are Yassin Omar, from New Southgate, north London; Manfo Kwaku Asiedu, 34, of no fixed address; Muktar Said Ibrahim, 29, of Stoke Newington, north London; Hussain Osman, 28, of no fixed address; and Adel Yahya, 24, of High Road, Tottenham, north London.

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