A court in England was told the BBC financed a trip for a 2005 program featuring men later accused of terrorism and involvement in a failed bombing attempt.

The BBC funded a paintball trip for Mohammed Hamid and several others for a 2005 program called, "Don't Panic, I'm Islamic."

Hamid stands accused of fostering a radicalization program training London-based Muslims for holy war, the Times of London reported Wednesday.

A researcher for the program approached Hamid for the program, and it later emerged that two suspects of a failed bombing attack July 21, 2005, also attended the trip.

The researcher Nasreen Suleaman, said Hamid told her of his association with the July 21 suspects, but didn't feel the need to inform investigators after BBC managers told her not to contact the police.

Hamid alleges he had had no contact with the accused ringleader of the failed plot since October 2004 and had no prior knowledge of the plot, the Times said.

Hamid also maintains he is innocent of charges of providing weapons training, soliciting murder and providing training for terrorism.  // Copyright 2007 by United Press International


Publication date: 05 December 2007   

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