TWO Walthamstow men have been jailed for life after being found guilty of conspiring to cause mass murder as suicide bombers.

Arafat Khan, 29, and Waheed Zaman, 26, of Walthamstow, have today been sentenced along with Ibrahim Savant, of Stoke Newington, at Woolwich Crown Court.

The men must spend at least 20 years in jail. Judge Mr Justice Holroyde told Woolwich Crown Court how the trio were recruited as suicide bombers to kill members of the public.

He said: "Each of you recorded a suicide video in which you described yourself as being blessed by the opportunity to take part in the mission."

Mr Holroyde said: "Each of you was prepared to turn your back on your wife or fiancee, family and friends, to end you own life and the lives of others."

The trio were recruited in 2006 by Abdulla Ahmed Ali, also of Walthamstow, the ringleader of plot to blow up transatlantic flights using bombs disguised as soft drinks.

The court heard how the cell planned to target seven flights to America and Canada.

The would-be bombers, who were unmoved as they sat in the dock, joined the plot relatively late in the conspiracy and were only privy to limited information, the court heard.

James Wood QC, mitigating for Zaman, said: "(Zaman's) role really is that of a footsoldier.

"His limited duration of involvement has been set out in detail and we put emphasis on his relative youth, his prior good character and his personal circumstances."

Joel Bennathan QC, on behalf of Khan, also said his client "falls lower down the scale" in terms of involvement.

"In any large conspiracy there are the leaders and the led and (Khan) was very much one of the led".

The three men, who were convicted on Thursday, were told that the "massive loss of life” their actions would have caused would have been much greater if the bombs had been detonated over land.

Parts of each of the defendants' suicide recordings were read out in court.

Khan called on Western Governments to leave Muslim countries “or we will reign upon you such a terror and destruction that you will never feel peace or security.

"There will be floods of martyrdom operations and bombs falling through your land".

The convictions come nearly four years after police and secret services smashed the UK’s largest ever terrorist plot, which was based in Walthamstow.

Ali, Tanvir Hussain, of Leyton, and Assad Sarwar, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, were found guilty of the airline bomb plot last year.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Osborne, Senior National Co-ordinator Counter Terrorism, said: "These three men claimed they recorded their martyrdom videos as part of a documentary, however when presented with all the evidence, the jury was satisfied that they were deadly serious in their intent and were party to the conspiracy to murder.

"The martyrdom videos; the instructions left for media to use them; the fresh passport applications; the loan applications and the forensic and surveillance links to Ali, Sarwar and the bomb factory all add up to a clear picture of intent.

"It has taken a long time to bring these men to justice, and the MPS Specialist Operations, the Crown Prosecution Services and British Security Service, showed huge commitment, dedication, determination and professionalism throughout the investigation and ensuing trials.

"The length of sentence reflects the serverity of their crime.

"Sadly this case also highlights that there are people out there who are intent on causing us harm."