A DEFENDANT in the M62 gun conspiracy trial was escorted to his car by police at the end of yesterday's proceedings because he feared for his safety, a court was told today.

Mohsin Amin, 32, who along with two other men denies conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life, was given a police escort from Leeds Crown Court to his vehicle due to "the presence of two people in the public gallery."

The trial yesterday heard how Dewsbury-born Amin, 32, who now lives in Manchester, was asked by Yasser Yaqub, who was later shot dead by police, to go along with him to Cafe de Akbar, in Leeds Road, Bradford, to meet with Mohammed Nisar Khan, also known as Meggy, to sort out a dispute.

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Resuming his evidence this morning, Amin was cross examined by Peter Moulson QC, prosecuting.

Amin said he had no criticism of the police and accepted all the evidence given by the armed officers in relation to the fatal shooting of Mr Yaqub at junction 24 of the M62 at Ainley Top, near Huddersfield.

Amin accepted that Mr Yaqub had a firearm with him, but maintained he did not see him holding it.

Mr Moulson put to Amin: "Being mixed up with drug dealers is a dangerous game isn't it?"

Amin said he made no comment to police questions after the shooting because he was traumatised.

"I'd just seen my mate shot in front of me."

He told the police he was meeting two men at Cafe de Akbar but did not name them because he was too scared. He was protecting himself, the court heard.

Mr Moulson said Amin was "protecting the team" by not naming anyone in his defence statement. Only Mr Yaqub knew the value of the drugs that he had been lost, the court was told.

Re-examined by his barrister Abbas Lakha QC, Amin said he refused to name a man referred to as Raa because he was frightened for his life and that of his family.

The court was told that Amin was escorted to his car by the police after the trial finished yesterday because of the presence of two people in the public gallery.

Yesterday, the jury was told of a dispute over drugs between rivals from Bradford and Huddersfield.

Amin told the jury of the moment the Audi he was driving was stopped by police who shot dead his passenger, Mr Yaqub, a 28-year-old Huddersfield man, on January 2 last year.

The court was told that there was ‘street talk’ that drugs had gone missing. Amin said Mr Yaqub and Meggy did not trust one another, so Meggy did not want to come to Huddersfield and Mr Yaqub did not want to go to Bradford.

Amin told the court he understood that Mr Yaqub might be “set up” with the police because Meggy was a police informer.

Mr Justice Turner asked: “By set him up, you mean frame him?”

The court has previously heard that police had tracked a white Audi and a VW Scirocco from Huddersfield to Bradford. The cars allegedly reached speeds of over 100mph as they headed along the M62.

David Butlin, 39, of Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, and Rexhino Arapaj, 28, of Thornlea Road, Huddersfield, were the driver and passenger of the Scirocco respectively.

They also deny conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

The trial continues.