Mercury News : British man admits to U.S. bomb plot

British man admits to U.S. bomb plot

by JILL LAWLESS | Associated Press | October 12, 2006

LONDON - A British man pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to bomb high-profile targets in the United States including the International Monetary Fund headquarters in Washington and the New York Stock Exchange.

"I plead guilty," Dhiran Barot, 32, said in a clear voice at Woolwich Crown Court in south London.

Other alleged targets in the plot, which was foiled by Barot's arrest in 2004, included the World Bank headquarters in Washington, the Citigroup building in New York and the Prudential building in Newark, N.J.

Prosecutor Edward Lawson said Barot planned "to carry out explosions at those premises with no warning. They were plainly designed to kill as may people as possible."

In Britain, Barot planned to pack gas cylinders into limousines and detonate them in underground parking garages, Lawson said.

This plan was "described by Mr. Barot as the main cornerstone of attacks planned to take place in the U.K.," Lawson said.

He said another plot involved the use of radioactive material in a rudimentary "dirty" bomb that would, cause "injury, fear, terror and chaos," although it was unlikely to kill anyone.

Lawson said plans outlining details of the "back-to-back" attacks had been found on a computer after Barot's arrest in August 2004.

Judge Neil Butterfield deferred sentencing of Barot but did not announce a date.