BRITAIN: Britain has convicted an al-Qaeda-trained Algerian man of a plot to launch chemical and bomb attacks in the biggest UK terrorism case since the September 11th, 2001, attacks, after an investigation that spanned 17 countries.
Kamel Bourgass was also found guilty of murdering a policeman in a botched raid when he was captured two years ago, after police discovered a suspected chemical weapons lab in a north London apartment and launched a countrywide sweep.
Bourgass was not convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, and eight other north Africans were cleared of any role in the plot, in a legal setback that could embarrass Prime Minister Tony Blair weeks before an election.
"Their objective was - in furtherance of their extremist Islamist cause - to commit acts of terrorism in the UK, by use of poisons such as ricin and cyanide, and by use of explosives," prosecutor Nigel Sweeney told London's Old Bailey court.
"The jury confirmed the essential thrust of the prosecution that there was a terrorist conspiracy aimed at the UK."
The men - eight Algerians and a Libyan - were among 100 people arrested in a countrywide anti-terrorism sweep in 2003 prompted by a tip-off from Algerian suspect Mohamed Meguerba, who skipped bail, fled home and was interrogated there.
He told Algerian authorities the British plotters were keeping the deadly ricin poison in a jar of skin cream and planned to smear it on door handles in London. Police did not find the poison but found working recipes to make it.
Only accused ringleader Bourgass, also known as Nadir Habra, was convicted. On Wednesday, prosecutors withdrew charges against four suspects on the eve of their trial. A court cleared another four suspects last Friday.
Bourgass was jailed for 17 years. The jury failed to reach a verdict on charges of conspiracy to murder.