British Airways' terror-accused employee wanted to go to Pakistan for training - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

A British Airways employee, who was allegedly planning to carry out a suicide attack after being placed in airline's strike-busting cabin crew, had offered his Al Qaeda chiefs to travel to Yemen and Pakistan to be trained, a British court was told. Karim is believed to have asked al-Qaeda chiefs for permission and directions to carry out attacks in Britain. The Sun quoted Prosecutor Colin Gibbs as saying that IT expert Rajib Karim, 30, indicated he could be trained to stand in for striking cabin crew - and offered to use it as an opportunity for a terrorist attack. He also offered to travel to Yemen and Pakistan to be trained, and advised on contacts in the UK who could be recruited to help him carry out attacks. Bangladeshi-born Karim allegedly told terror chiefs how BA computer systems could be nobbled. He is also accused of terrorist fundraising. According to encrypted files allegedly found on his computer, Karim sent the cash for "suicide bombings, martyrdom and further acts of terrorism". The court heard he allegedly moved to Britain specifically to obtain a UK passport for use in terror operations. Karim, who has a pregnant wife and young son, had been arrested at BA's call centre in Newcastle on February 25. BA sources confirmed Karim had applied for a place on the strike-busting cabin crew, but insisted he would not have passed strict security checks.