Mohammed Shakil, 31, told police Khan, who was born in Beeston, Leeds and lived in Dewsbury, was not a good practising Muslim" and he couldn't "in his wildest dreams" think why he would take part in suicide bombings.

Khan, who masterminded the attacks on the London transport network which killed 52 people, commanded respect and was popular with youngsters who looked up to him in the Beeston area of Leeds, it was also claimed.

A jury at Kingston Crown Court heard details of what Shakil and co-accused Waheed Ali told police officers who interviewed them in the weeks following the bombings in 2005.

Shakil, Ali, 24, and Sadeer Saleem, 27, are accused of conspiring with Khan, Shezhad Tanweer, Jermaine Lindsay, Hasib Hussain and others unknown to cause explosions between November 17 2004 and July 8 2005.

All three are alleged to have carried out a previous two-day reconnaissance mission in the capital on December 16 and 17 2004 with bombers Hussain and Lindsay.

The defendants deny the charge.