Muslim family making Mecca pilgrimage hauled off flight by armed police after RELATIVE told airline they were suicide bombers
- Two 999 calls said father and son had swallowed something which would explode mid-air
Last updated at 12:05 PM on 6th July 2011
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They were on their way to make the traditional Hajj pilgrimage which all devout Muslims are required to do once in their lifetime.
Two 999 calls were made that day by a distant member of the same family who warned that the father, mother and son were from Afghanistan, very religious and had links to Al Qaeda, a jury was told.
Police took the information seriously and armed police stopped them at Heathrow's departure gate in front of other passengers going on the pilgrimage
Furthermore, the caller Golan Azimi, 48, said the father and son had swallowed a liquid which would explode in mid-air.
Armed police then stopped the family in front of other passengers at the departure gate in November last year.
But officers quickly realised the information was false and the family was able to board the flight they intended to take, with 40 other pilgrims. 'I thought if I did not report it and people died I would have it on my conscience for the rest of my life. I had to fulfil my obligations as a British citizen'
Alison Morgan, prosecuting said two 999 calls were made on the morning of November 9 last year, naming the father and son, and saying they had swallowed something which would explode in mid air.
He told them they would be on an Egypt Air flight leaving from terminal three.
She said: 'The defendant is related to the other family through marriage and the relationship has not always been without conflict and arguments.
'In the calls he said the family were very religious people from Afghanistan and alleged they had contacts in Al Qaeda.'
Police traced the caller, Azimi, who admitted making two calls to tip off police, but said he genuinely believed information he had been given was '100% true'.
On Tuesday at Luton Crown Court a jury cleared Azimi, from Stratford, East London, of making a bomb hoax call.
The family - who have not been named - were about to board a flight at Heathrow to make the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, to pray with thousands of Muslims, pictured
'Police took the information seriously and at face value and armed police stopped them at the departure gate in front of other passengers going on the pilgrimage.
'But it quickly became apparent that the information was false. They were clearly not bombers and were allowed to rejoin the plane, but were very humiliated.'
Azimi, who pleaded not guilty, told the jury the information had been given to him by a man who had pledged him to secrecy.
'He said there were liquids that you can put in your body and they are timed to blow up. I asked if he was trying to be funny, but he was very serious. Anyone who heard him would have believed him.
'For two nights after that I could not sleep. I thought if I did not report it and people died I would have it on my conscience for the rest of my life. I had to fulfil my obligations as a British citizen.'
The jury of seven men and five women took less than an hour to return a unanimous not guilty verdict to the charge of communicating false information with intent.
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