Today began the trial of six African men accused of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to cause explosions likely to endanger life by bombing London public transport on 21 July, 2005. The six are accused of using flour, hydrogen peroxide and acetone to create bombs in order to carry out "murderous suicide bombings".
Nigel Sweeney QC, the prosecutor in the case said: "It was simply the good fortune of the travelling public that day that they were spared."
In fact the fortune of the public was so good that day that the only injury reported as a direct result of the incident was an asthma attack. Every one of the flour bombs failed to explode, apart from the single bangs of their small detonators.
Whether the men have an affiliation with a terrorist organization has not been disclosed, nor have any clear motives for their crime been discussed.
The trail, held at Woolwich Crown Court in London, could last until April. No doubt more questions will be raised as the trial picks up speed.
For example:
Though the six men were of various African nationalities, it has been emphasized by the press that the flour used in making their explosives was chapati flour – used in Indian and South Asian cooking.
Why would Africans use South Asian flour? Why? Why indeed?
Also hydrogen peroxide and acetone were used in the making of the bombs. Both of these items are found in every single beauty shop – peroxide used for dying hair and acetone for fingernail work.
Yet no women were involved in the plot.
However, one suspect, Yassin Omar, was caught wearing women's clothes. Oh, he called it a "burka", but as we know only too well, it's a small step from "burka" to "fabulous emerald green evening frock".
And finally, chapati flour is also known as...
...ATTA flour!
Coincidence? Or not?
Yes, like chapati flour kneaded to form a delicious spicy flat bread - or a bomb - the plot thickens.
