An Islamist quartermaster hatched a plot to kidnap a British Muslim soldier on a night out and behead him "like a pig" in a lock-up garage then release footage of the killing to the public, a court heard today.

Nigel Rumfitt, QC, prosecuting, told a jury at Leicester Crown Court that Parviz Khan, of Alum Rock, Birmingham, had pleaded guilty to terrorism charges a fortnight ago. Three other men had also admitted a range of terror offences.

Mr Rumfitt was speaking as the trial opened of two further men, Ahmad Mahmood and Zahoor Iqbal, both from Birmingham, who accused of offences under the Terrorism Act.

All six men were arrested on January 31, 2006, in co-ordinated police raids.

Outlining the plot, Mr Rumfitt told the jury that Khan had hoped to kidnap a Muslim soldier in the Broad Street entertainment district of Birmingham city centre, with the help of drug dealers.

"He would be taken to a lock-up garage and there he would be murdered by having his head cut off like a pig," said Mr Rumfitt. "This atrocity would be filmed . . . and the film released to cause panic and fear within the British Armed Forces and the wider public."

Mr Rumfitt read out a transcript, translated from a Pakistani dialect, of comments that Khan was secretly recorded making on December 29, 2006, allegedly to Mr Mahmood.

The jury was told that Khan asked him: "Could you get that other job done?" before telling him: "You know what, I have found the people who have said OK.

"If we can do it via the other person’s lad, by having a chit-chat with him and also by winning his interest by the white stuff. Then afterwards we can ambush him or whatever.

"If you give him the address, two lads will show blades and get him in the car and take him.

"If the other way, then just tell us where he lives. We will sort it. The car will be parked and as he comes out we will say, ’Oh! you been causing trouble’.

"Drag him into the car — there will be three men, they will put him in the car. I said it’s not going to take more than 30 seconds — it’s not as if we are going to kill people there."

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