Dewsbury EDL demo terror plot: Timeline

Omar Khan, Zohaib Ahmed, Mohammed Hasseen, Mohammed Saud, Anzal Hussain, and Jewel Uddin will be sentenced in June.

Five admitted travelling to Dewsbury, where an EDL demonstration was being held on June 30 last year, armed with guns, knives and an explosive device made from a firework packed with shrapnel.

Hasseen admitted preparing for acts of terrorism.

The attack failed because the rally finished earlier than expected and the crowd had dispersed by the time the group arrived.

The investigation to track the suspects, named Operation Alva, was led by West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU).

June 30, 2012

4pm: Five of the gang arrive in Dewsbury – Khan and Uddin in a Renault Laguna, and Ahmed, Hussain and Saud in a Rover. The Rover goes briefly to where the rally had first assembled earlier that afternoon. All five visit a Mosque and chip shop.

6pm: Both cars leave Dewsbury and head back to Birmingham. A South Yorkshire traffic officer checks and stops the Laguna on the M1 near Sheffield and subsequently seizes it for having no insurance.

July 2, 2012

Worker at the car compound finds suspicious items and calls police. Officers from North East CTU find two previously stolen sawn-off shotguns and nine cartridges, 11 bladed items, parts of a partially constructed pipe bomb, a firework-based IED containing 359 nails and 93 ball bearings, 10 copies of a document addressed to the enemies of Islam, and CDs containing extremist material including speeches from Anwar al-Awlaki.

The Birmingham connection is established and the investigation passes to West Midlands CTU later that evening. Teams work through the night to identify and track all suspects.

July 3, 2012

The seized car’s driver, Khan, his passenger, Uddin, and Mohammed Hasseen are arrested. Ongoing investigations reveal a second car had travelled to Dewsbury – more suspects are identified.

July 4, 2012

Travellers in the second car – Ahmed, Hussain and Saud – are arrested.

All suspects refuse to comment during police interviews.

Searches of the suspects’ homes uncover more extremist material, including instructions on making pipe bombs, ‘tradecraft’ advice on how to avoid detection and evidence of research on the EDL.

Forensic investigators link items in the car with the suspects.

July 9 and 10, 2012

All six are charged with engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism. Hasseen is also charged with possessing documents likely to be of use to someone preparing or committing an act of terrorism.

30 April, 2013

All six plead guilty at Woolwich Crown Court. They will be sentenced in June.