The 7/7 bombers exchanged texts posing as A-Team characters on the eve of their suicide attacks, it was revealed to the inquest.
Mohammed Sidique Khan and Jermaine Lindsay pretended to be Face and B.A. Baracus from in the cult 1980s TV drama, repeatedly arguing over B.A. Baracus’s catchphrase, “I ain’t getting on no plane”.
The A-Team texts began a week before the London bombings on July 7 but became more serious on July 6, when Khan texted that he was having problems meeting the other three bombers as arranged.
On July 4, ringleader Khan texted Lindsay: “Face you mutha f***** il rearange ya face if ya stab me wiv dat needle cos i said i aint getting on no plain fool.”
The text refers to the fact that B.A. Baracus was afraid of flying. In the show the other members of The A-Team would inject him with drugs to get him on board a plane.
However Lindsay wanted the role of B.A. Barabcus for himself and replied: “F*** u bitch, dats my line, il stab u wid a f***ing needle jus 4 da fun of it. And 2hear u scream like a blatch!!! Now lets get dis right. I aint getting on no plain! fool!”
On July 6, the day before the bombings, Khan texted Lindsay: “Yo BA big nackers you on dat plane or wat. fool.” About an hour later, at 1.55am, Lindsay replied: “I ain’t getting on no plane fool”.
Lindsay replied: “I aint getting on no plane! Murdock tel dis fool”.
The texts were recovered from Lindsay’s phone, which was found in the wreckage of the bombing between King’s Cross and Russell Square train stations. The court has not been told whether the other two bombers, Hasib Hussain and Shehzad Tanweer used the names of A-Team characters.
Publication of the messages, which were shown to the July 7 inquests on Friday, was banned until today.
Despite the allusions to flying, it is not thought that the bombers were planning to get on a plane.
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