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Four admit plot to behead Muslim soldier in UK

  • Story Highlights
  • Conspirators planned to behead Muslim soldier "like a pig" on leave in the UK
  • Court told that a video of the killng would be posted on the internet
  • Two other men accused of a role in the plot but deny all charges
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LEICESTER, England (CNN) -- Four men have pleaded guilty to offenses linked to a plot to kidnap a British Muslim soldier on leave and behead him in a garage.

Parviz Khan, Basiru Gassama, Mohammed Irfan, and Hamid Elasmar entered their pleas several weeks ago, but the media were restricted from reporting the matter until Tuesday, when two other men went on trial alongside the four.

The four also admitted charges related to sending equipment to terrorists.

Leicester Crown Court was told that Khan, 37, devised the plot to kidnap and kill the soldier and send equipment to terrorists in Pakistan and along the Afghan border.

A jury heard that Khan intended to behead the soldier "like a pig" and release footage of the killing on the internet, the British Press Association reported.

Prosecutors said that Khan hoped to kidnap the Muslim soldier in Birmingham's Broad Street entertainment quarter with the help of drug dealers, the agency added.

Gassama, 30, admitted knowing about the plot. Irfan, 31, and Elasmar, 44, admitted helping Khan supply the equipment.

The two men on trial, Amjad Mahmood and Zahoor Iqbal, are also accused of having a role in the plot but both deny the charges.

Mahmood, 32, denies knowing about the plot and failing to tell anyone. Iqbal, 30, denies possessing a document likely to be of use to a terrorist. The case continues. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

CNN's Paula Newton contributed to this report

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