A British Muslim accused of conspiring to blow up civilian targets in the UK insisted he had nothing to do with a terror plot when quizzed by police, a court heard.

Waheed Mahmood, 34, from Crawley, was arrested on March 30, 2004, after months of MI5 surveillance, the Old Bailey has heard.

He is accused of being part of an al-Qaeda cell intent on creating a deadly fertiliser bomb for a terror strike in the UK.

Mahmood remained silent for ten days while he was questioned by anti-terror officers at Paddington Green Police Station, speaking only to confirm his name, jurors heard. But on April 8 he issued a hand-written statement claiming to have no knowledge of the alleged plot.

Mahmood wrote: "To the best of my knowledge and belief I was not aware of the fertiliser until this was put to me interview. I have not conspired with others to make explosives, as allege"

The gang are alleged to have had weapons training at a terror camp in Pakistan where they learnt to mix ammonium nitrate fertiliser and aluminium powder to make a bomb.

It is said they then returned to the UK to plot an attack. The prosecution claims the group bought 600kg of fertiliser from Bodle Brothers Ltd, in Burgess Hill, before stashing it in a unit at Access Storage in north-west London.

Aluminium powder was found at the home of suspects Omar Khyam, 24, and his brother Shujah-Ud-Din Mahmood, 19, the court has heard.

In his statement Mahmood said: "I have no involvement with Bodle Brothers Ltd or with the Access Storage. " The prosecution claims the gang discussed targets including the Ministry of Sound nightclub in London, Kent's Bluewater shopping mall and synagogues.

A list of synagogues was discovered in Khyam and his brothers Crawley home.

But Mahmood said: "In relation to the list of synagogues they have nothing to do with me whatsoever."

In all, seven men are accused of planning to make and use the fertiliser bomb.

Mahmood, Khyam, Shujah-Ud-Din Mahmood and Jawad Akbar, 22 are all from Crawley; Anthony Garcia, 24, is from Ilford, Essex; Nabeel Hussain, 20, is from Horley, near Gatwick; and Salahuddin Amin, 31, is from Luton.

All seven deny conspiracy with others including 27-year-old Momin Khawaja, a former software developer for the Canadian government who is awaiting trial, to cause an explosion likely to endanger life or damage property between January 1, 2003 and March 31, 2004.

Hussain, Garcia and Khyam also deny possessing 600kg of fertiliser for the purposes of terrorism between November 11, 2003 and March 31, 2004. Khyam and Shujah Mahmood deny possessing aluminium powder for purposes connected with terrorism between October 1, 2003 and March 31, 2004. The trial continues.