Dhiren Barot's plans for carnage on a "colossal and unprecedented scale" are revealed in shaky hand-held video footage he made of potential targets during a reconnaissance mission to New York in April 2001.

Those clips are included in a large bundle of evidence released by police after Barot was jailed for life today, along with chilling terror documents, resembling business plans, which showed the depth and sophistication of his plotting.

The video footage focuses on the proposed attacks on the IMF and World Bank buildings in Washington DC, the New York Stock Exchange, the Citigroup building in New York and the Prudential Insurance building in Newark, New Jersey.

One clip shows the New York Stock Exchange and the surrounding areas of Manhattan. There are close-up shots of security cameras on the side of the building and rolling text along the bottom - added later - drawing attention to the heightened security in New York since the September 11 attacks.

Similar clips contain close-ups of CCTV cameras, street signs and maps, security guards and NYPD officer in a police car. Detectives were able to use this footage to find the identity of the police officer, and based on logs of where he was that day, pinpoint when the footage was taken.

Documents subsequently produced contain suggestions for the best type of attack, research into production of radiation dispersal devices (dirty bombs) and chemicals. The documents are highly detailed and detectives believe they were written and produced for the attention of a more important terrorist leader.

Each includes a list of geographical features, and headings such as "Flow of Traffic" and "Churches, Synagogues and Mosques" in the vicinity.

The potential target is examined for security measures, access and escape route, layout and structure.

One document entitled 'final presentation' refers to the author's research into dirty bombs. Another, known as the 'Gas Limos Project' was found on a laptop computer during a search of a house in Gujrat, Pakistan. At 39 pages long, it is about a plan to pack explosives into limousines in underground car parks in the UK.

Within this document is a reference to the Madrid train bombings of March 2004 as a project that ''deserved to be emulated''.

In his conclusions, entitled "Final Word", Barot made clear that he wanted a simultaneous and deadly series of attacks.

"At the conclusion of this presentation we remind the reader that what we have aimed for is synchronised, concurrent (back to back) execution on the same day and time," he said. "We feel that these are all very realistic projects that can be executed with deadly effect if the go-ahead is given and the resources made available."

The most alarming footage is of the World Trade Centre. Barot lingers over the two towers, tilting the camera on its side to show their full height. At the 14-second mark, the sound of an simulated explosion can be heard.

Police found the tape edited into a copy of Die Hard With A Vengeance starring Bruce Willis - a film all about a terrorist bomber setting off a series of explosions in New York.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Catalogue of failings ‘leaves others at risk’
• Tourists told to stay away amid Venice floods
• Google generation has no need for rote learning