On 9 August, Bashir and Al-Shamie were captured talking alone together at Al Sunnah mosque in Cheetham Hill, in Manchester, where Bashir and Al-Shamie attended.
During the CCTV footage taken at the mosque, Bashir tells Al-Shamie, “This time next year, we’re going green bird.”
In a previous moment captured during the 30 minutes of footage retrieved by police, the court heard Al-Shamie saying: “I wish we had a weapon.
“We need to get one. Crossbow.
“Is there a way for us to go in?”
Later in the same conversation, Bashir said: “You got me really excited.”
Al-Shamie replied: “Once we go there, we’re not coming back. Once we go to the mission.
“Prepare to say bye to loved ones, any last debts we could pay off or any fines.”
Robert Potts, Assistant Chief Constable with responsibility for Counterterrorism Policing North West, described is as “crucial” to the force’s investigation.
“There’s quite a bit of conversation at the mosque and we believe that the two subjects did not know that there was audio recorded,” Potts told North West Tonight.
“They went to great pains to speak in secretive fashion and to ensure that they weren’t overheard within the mosque.
“In interactions that were captured within the mosque, there are references ultimately to them anticipating martyrdom using the term green birds, which is very illustrative of where they were at in terms of their mindset.
“They both demonstrated that they were on a pathway to ultimately aim to commit a terrorist attack.”
Potts said the mosque had “cooperated fully” with the investigation – adding, “there is no evidence that anyone else within the mosque had any idea what they were discussing and what they were planning”.
