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Britain
Terror suspect appears in court
2005-09-14
A British terror suspect arrested in the Channel Tunnel has given evidence at the Old Bailey. Andrew Rowe, 34, of Maida Vale, west London, who was arrested in October 2003 en route to the UK, had socks with traces of explosives in his luggage. He said the socks were used as gloves to unload ammunition during volunteer work in Bosnia in 1995.
And he hasn't washed them since?
Mr Rowe has denied charges of having articles for use in terrorism and recording information for terrorism.
The socks were found in his luggage as he was about to return to Britain via the Channel Tunnel after a trip to Germany. After they were forensically examined, traces of three explosives used in Russian 82mm mortars were found on them. The prosecution has said the socks, which had been rolled into a ball and attached to a pyjama cord, could have been used to clean a mortar launcher barrel, or used as a mortar bung.

Mr Rowe, a Muslim convert who faces four charges under the Terrorism Act, laughed at the suggestion, claiming that he used the socks as makeshift gloves to avoid getting splinters. He added that the pyjama cord was used as part of his martial arts training to hang the sock ball up so he could kick it. "It would dangle it and I would use it to kick," said Mr Rowe.
It appears this guy has a good lawyer and is listening to him. Not a bad story, might work with a Los Angeles jury
Mr Rowe had gone using his original passport to Bosnia in 1995 as a volunteer where he said he had been injured in a war zone, the court was told. Taking the stand for the first time, Mr Rowe said the traces of explosives found on his socks, and a notebook found in his former flat with 20 pages of notes on how to use a mortar, were related to his time in Bosnia.
Mr Rowe is also accused of having a code to communicate in secret with others and a notebook with details on how to use mortars at addresses in London and Birmingham.

He said he volunteered to go to Bosnia as a driver but was put to work unloading boxes of ammunition, adding that he was shown a book about mortars when he said he wanted to do more. Mr Rowe said: "The boxes were breaking. I did not want to get splinters. "I tried to buy some gloves but I could not find any, so I used my socks over my hands."
He told the Old Bailey that he transferred the notes he had made in Bosnia, into a blue notebook upon returning to the UK. Asked why, he said: "For memorabilia basically - to be a bit of a lad. "When I spoke to people, I could look as if I had authority." The trial continues.
Posted by:Steve

#1  He told the Old Bailey that he transferred the notes he had made in Bosnia, into a blue notebook upon returning to the UK. Asked why, he said: "For memorabilia basically - to be a bit of a lad. "When I spoke to people, I could look as if I had authority."

This lad clearly didn't list genius amongst his achievements.
Posted by: trailing wife   2005-09-14 18:51  

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