THE judge in the trial of eight men accused of plotting to blow up Transatlantic flights has begun summing up the case.

Mr Justice Henriques recounted evidence at Woolwich Crown Court dating back to August 2006, which was first heard by the jury in February this year.

He repeated chilling conversations recorded secretly at a flat in Forest Road, Walthamstow, in which defendants allegedly laugh and joke while talking about setting off the bombs.

The court heard how in one of the conversations, one of the defendants, apparently referring to his wife, said: “She understands this proper. I think probably if I was to say to her to do this...one of these operations, she might even find it in herself to do that.

“Obviously she got babies but saying she knew somebody there to look after them, I don't mean...maybe she take them with her.”

The recordings were transcribed by an expert in phonetics, who had no prior knowledge of what the defendants were talking about.

The judge also repeated allegations that materials found in some of the defendants' possession, including citric acid, hydrogen peroxide and a powdered soft drink, could be used to make bombs.

It was alleged that the defendants planned to hollow out AA batteries and place modified light bulbs inside, filled with the explosive mixture.

The mixture would then be detonated on non-stop flights via Air Canada, American Airlines and United Airlines, causing “death on an unprecedented scale”, it was claimed.

Evidence provided by experts showed how the mixture, in the right concentration, could blow a hole in a steel plate.

The trial was expected to last 10 months but is now drawing to a close after just six.

Jurors are not expected to be sent out before Friday (August 7).

Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 28, Arafat Waheed Khan, 27 and Waheed Zaman, all of Walthamstow, are on trial with Tanvir Hussain, 27, of Leyton, Umar Islam, 30, of Plaistow and Ibrahim Savant, 28, and Assad Sarwar, of High Wycombe.

They are accused of plotting to use explosives disguised as soft drinks to attack Transatlantic flights, which could have caused “heavy casualties upon an unwitting civilian population”.