British officer gives evidence in Jermaine Grant Kenya bomb plot trial

An officer from the Metropolitan Police has been giving evidence in Kenya in the trial of a British man accused of possessing explosive materials.

The defendant, Jermaine Grant, is also accused of intent to cause explosions.

In testimony, the officer said a memory stick allegedly found in Mr Grant's possession contained documents about using chemicals to make explosives.

Mr Grant, who was arrested in a raid on a flat in Mombasa, Kenya, in December 2011, denies the charges.

'Ideological documents'

The counter-terrorism officer, Detective Inspector Stephen Ball, who has been helping Kenyan police investigate the case, told the Mombasa court the memory stick gave details about the possible use of chemicals including ammonium nitrate and ammonium hydroxide in the manufacture of explosives.

He said forensic examination of the memory stick also showed that it contained, or had once contained, "ideological documents" relating to al-Qaeda, jihad and preparations for suicide attacks.

"These files are an explanation of explosive devices, chemicals and of the construction and use of explosive devices," Det Insp Ball said.

"The files that relate to chemicals would be a suspicious precursor to a person's intentions. They were downloaded from the internet."

'Provisions for the hereafter'

He said other documents on the USB drive had titles including "Anarchist's Cookbook", "Mujahideen Explosives Handbook" and "Black Book Companion".

"The majority of the ideology documents are extreme in their views and advocate the taking up of arms in the name of jihad or holy war.

"All of these files, apart from two, have been deleted or removed, and transferred to another device, a PC or a laptop.

"It is not uncommon for these kinds of documents to be read by those preparing for an attack on what they see as the enemy or 'unbelievers'."

Mr Ball said one of the files still on the memory stick was called "Provisions for the hereafter" and had subject headings including "Material to be studied in the event the bomb-making doesn't go to plan" and "In preparation for a suicide attack".

Lewthwaite hunt

Kenyan police have said they believe Mr Grant had links with Samantha Lewthwaite, the widow of the 7/7 bomber Germaine Lindsay.

She is wanted in Kenya in connection with the same case but police have been unable to find her.

One officer with knowledge of the case told the BBC how on the night of Jermaine Grant's arrest, police raided a number of other addresses associated with him.

At one of these addresses they found a "white lady" who presented a South African passport in the name of Natalie Faye Webb. It later transpired the passport was a fake and Natalie Faye Webb was Samantha Lewthwaite.

Police returned some days later to search for her but she had disappeared.

The trial of Jermaine Grant continues. 

BBC