Suspect in British soldier's killing: Iraq war's 'shock and awe' was repulsive

One of the men accused of the brutal daylight killing of British soldier Lee Rigby told a jury Monday that he loved al Qaeda and that he found the opening Iraq war campaign disgusting.

Speaking at the Old Bailey criminal court in London, Michael Adebolajo was giving evidence for the first time.

Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, are accused of murder, conspiracy to murder a police officer and attempted murder of a police officer. They have denied the charges.

Asked what he thought of al Qaeda, Adebolajo, who has said he identified himself as Mujahid Abu Hamza, said: "I love them and I consider them my brothers in Islam."
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Questioned by his defense lawyer, Adebolajo told jurors he was against British foreign policy but did not believe his Islamic views led him on the path he had taken.

"Even before I became Muslim, I did not agree with foreign policy," he said, then describing an early memory of watching the Iraq war on television.

"Operation shock and awe -- I saw it unfold on BBC and CNN what not, and I was disgusted, you know. It was reported as if it was praiseworthy," he said.

"I knew that every one of those bombs was killing someone. I was disgusted."

When he was asked what his defense to the charge of murder was, Adebolajo said: "I am a soldier. I am a soldier of Allah."

"I understand that some people may not recognize this because we do not wear fatigues ... but we are still soldiers."