UK "sleeper" jailed for Qaeda document trove

LONDON, July 6 (Reuters) A British court sentenced a man described by police as a terrorist ''sleeper'' to nine years jail today for possessing a trove of al Qaeda computer material, including documents suggesting hitting nightclubs and airports.

The court recommended Omar Altimimi, 37 -- a failed asylum seeker living in Bolton in northern England whose precise identity police say they cannot determine -- be deported after serving his sentence.

He was convicted in Manchester Crown Court of six charges of possessing material for the purpose of terrorism and two money laundering charges.

The head of the anti-terrorism unit for Greater Manchester police described Altimimi as ''a 'sleeper' remaining in the shadows waiting and preparing for action''.

''We will never know exactly what Altimimi was preparing to do but it was clear he had support and links with terrorists across the world,'' Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Porter added.

''(He) used his wife and children in a bid to blend into the community, appearing as an ordinary family. But behind closed doors he was downloading shocking videos of executions, bomb-making recipes and information on how to establish a terrorist cell,'' Porter said in a statement.

Greater Manchester Police said they found a trove of terrorist material on Altimimi's computer, much of it downloaded from a ''secret, password-protected al Qaeda Internet site''.

Among the documents were bomb-making plans and lists of potential targets, such as nightclubs and airports, although there was no suggestion Altimimi was linked to failed attacks on a London nightclub and a Scottish airport last week.

He was arrested along with another man, Yusuf Abdullah, 30, who has since pleaded guilty to acquiring criminal property after more than 50,000 dollars was wired to his account from Yemen.

Reuters GT RS1952