Umar Islam, aka Brian Young PA

EXTREMIST material found in the flat of a former bus conductor accused of plotting to blow up transatlantic airliners belonged to his drug-taking relative, a court heard today.

During cross-examination the accused's wife Rizwana Khan told Woolwich Crown Court her younger brother would often leave his belongings at their flat - including books called The Virtues of Jihad and Defence of the Muslim Lands.

Ms Khan said: "He used to visit me quite a lot. I was the only support he had at that time, he was finding it really hard at home at my mum's.

Referring to his drug-taking, she added: "He used to often come off his head."

She could not explain the presence of a cassette on the role of women in jihad at the flat she shared with husband Umar Islam, aka Brian Young.

Islam, 31, from High Wycombe, is accused along with seven other defendants of a terrorist plot to blow up planes travelling from London to various US cities.

Ms Khan said: "There was lots of audio material in my flat. There were lots of tapes, there were lots and lots of books...We had lots of stuff in our flat. The things that you're carefully selecting and showing to the jury today, they don't reflect my or Umar's views."

Ms Khan said she had not found any documents relating to Islam's alleged plans, although he previously told the court she had seen a list of camping equipment and countries.

The prosecution claims she came across a script for his alleged suicide video.

She told the jury: "If I saw anything as alarming as, you know, a script for a video such as the one I saw I would have challenged him for sure.

"I would have been persistent in trying to get an answer from him and if I thought for a second that Umar was going to do something atrocious like that, something that neither of us believe in, I would have gone straight to the police myself."

Islam claims he made the film as part of a "publicity stunt" to push for change in British foreign policy.

The court also heard from Colin Simpson, who first met Islam when the 31-year-old was a Rastafarian.

Mr Simpson said: "He had dreadlocks and indulged in a bit of weed, stuff like that."

The pair discussed religion and Mr Simpson eventually administered the oath Islam took to become a Muslim.

He had travelled to Pakistan with the Islam Medical Association to provide aid to refugees, and was replaced by Islam when he returned to the UK because his father was seriously ill.

Mr Simpson said he was nervous about giving evidence because he had previously been arrested under the Terrorism Act and held for six days, before being released without charge.

When challenged by prosecutor Peter Wright QC, he could not remember the date his father died, which coincided with his return from Pakistan.

Islam's father Lemuel Young, a devout Methodist, insisted on taking his oath in the witness box with the Bible open because he said: "A closed bible is of use to no one."

He told the jury he had raised his children as Christians, and that Islam attended Sunday school until the age of 17.

Mr Young, a retired train driver, still reads a Bible that formerly belonged to his son every day.

When asked to describe him, he said: "Honest person, down to earth, respect, loving, kind, ready to help. All the attitudes of a Christian."

He said he was the most affectionate of all his children and had cared for him when he had prostate cancer.

Mr Young added: "He believes in his faith, he believes he is right but he does not condemn others."

Islam is on trial for conspiracy to murder along with Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 28, Ibrahim Savant, 28, Arafat Khan, 28, and Waheed Zaman, 25, all from Walthamstow, Assad Sarwar, 29, and Donald Stewart-Whyte, 23, both from High Wycombe, and Tanvir Hussain, 28, of no fixed abode.

The trial was adjourned until tomorrow.