When devout Muslim Saajid Badat was arrested by anti-terrorism officers in November 2003, it came as a huge shock to his local community in Gloucester. Badat, a bright, well-educated man from a deeply religious family, had been living quietly with his family and was described by neighbours as softly spoken and respectful.

Those who knew him painted a picture of a sociable, football-loving man who "always spoke out if something was wrong". His former headteacher said he was a quiet teenager who took his religious beliefs seriously, while his classmates considered him friendly and popular.

However, behind his outwardly quiet and often unassuming character, Badat had been hiding a dark secret. Today at the Old Bailey he admitted conspiring to blow up an aircraft. Prosectors say he was meant to be the second shoe-bomber with fellow Briton Richard Reid.

Born in Gloucester to a strict Muslim family who moved to England from Malawi, Badat was an active member of his community and had hopes of becoming a Islamic priest. His father, Mohammed, worked at the Wall's factory in Gloucester until his retirement. They have one other son and two daughters.

Badat was educated from 1990 to 1997 at Crypt Grammar School for Boys, a Church of England School in Gloucester. He left with a string of good qualifications: 10 GCSEs and four A-Levels with B grades in physics, chemistry and biology and a C in general studies.

At the time of his arrest, headteacher David Lamper said he was shocked by the news. He described Badat as a successful student who worked with "maturity and commitment", adding that he was "punctual, cheerful and polite".

In a statement issued today, Mr Lamper added: "While here, he (Badat) was a popular and diligent pupil. The school’s thoughts are with Saajid’s family at what must be a very difficult time."

After leaving school, Badat began studying the Koran. He went on to study at the College of Islamic Knowledge and Guidance in Blackburn, Lancashire, where he lived as a boarder for two years. A world map and two pictures of mosques adorned the walls of the room he shared with five others.

At the start of his training as an Islamic priest and scholar, Badat studied daily in the computer room and library which held hundreds of Islamic teaching books. Daily prayers took place in a large prayer room on the ground floor of the school which has a mimbar (pulpit) in a centre of the room facing in the direction of Mecca.

At the time of Badat’s arrest, the head of the school, Abdus Samed Ahmed, said he was stunned. "We have a thorough and normal vetting process at the school and Badat passed the checks," he said at the time. "We have been here seven years and have an excellent relationship with the local council, police and other key agencies."

Badat had been enrolled on a five-year course, but he left in the summer of 2003 of his own accord and returned to Gloucester to live with his parents in their neat terraced house in St James Street. A few months later he was held by anti-terrorist police and taken for questioning at London’s high security Paddington Green Police Station.

The arrest came as massive shock to those in his local community, many of whom struggled to believe that Badat could be involved in terrorism. Mohammed Jaffer, who went to St James’s Primary School in Gloucester with Badat, said that he was mad on football, particularly Liverpool, and was extremely bright

He had excelled at primary school and was offered a scholarship to a private school before accepting his place at the Crypt Grammar School. Abdul said: "He was a very intelligent boy who always spoke out if something was wrong. He was a very bright lad who respected things and people. When he grew up he told people to stay away from the streets."

Of the arrest Abdul said: "Straight away I said it can’t be. He never gave the first impression he was a terrorist. I still believe he is innocent. He’s a walking angel."

However, the Old Bailey heard today that Badat had been in possession of an explosive device specially designed to evade airport security and destroy an aircraft in flight. The device was identical to that used by British shoe bomber Reid when he attempted to bring down an aircraft in December 2001 on a flight from Paris.

The court heard how, on his way to the police station, Badat had confessed that he had been asked to carry out a shoe bombing just like Reid. He said he had been given the device in Afghanistan, but had later withdrawn from the plot.

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