Mohammed Yassar Yaqub may have been involved a 'feud' in which weapons may have been used before he was fatally shot during a police operation, a court heard.

The 28-year-old, of Crosland Moor, and his friend Moshin Amin sat down for dinner with Mohammed Nisar Khan and Kashif Tahir in Bradford on January 2 last year and just minutes later was shot dead by a police marksman, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Opening the trial, prosecutor Peter Moulson QC said the Audi Mr Yaqub and Amin were travelling in was in 'convoy' with a car in which David Butlin and Mr Yaqub's best friend Rexhino Arapaj were travelling in.

He said that the two cars were travelling in excess of 100mph as they left the meeting and headed towards Huddersfield followed by unmarked police vehicles.

He also said the two cars were later found to contain at least seven phones - most of which were encrypted, a fully operational Russian pistol with 'obliterated' serial numbers, a magazine of ammunition and a silencer, adding:

The weapons . . . cannot have been, we submit, for any lawful purpose.

Forensics officers filmed working on the slip road of the M62 where Mohammed Yassar Yaqub was shot dead by West Yorkshire Police


The court heard CCTV evidence will show that around 4.20pm on the day of the shooting Mr Yaqub met the three defendants behind the Cedar Court Hotel in Ainley Top.

He was in a white Scirocco and got out of it and into a white Audi, which was driven by Amin.

The two cars containing the four men took just 20 minutes to drive to Cafe de Akbar on Leeds Road in Bradford.

When Mr Yaqub and Amin entered the restaurant to meet with Mr Khan and Mr Tahir, Mr Yaqub had a black leather manbag and was not wearing gloves.

As the four men sat down for dinner in the restaurant, Arapaj, an Albanian national who stayed with his 'best friend' Mr Yaqub and his family when he came to England prior to his immigration, and Butlin waited in a car across the road.

When they all left around an hour and 10 minutes later, Mr Yaqub was wearing gloves.

Mr Yaqub was shot dead by a police marksman beside the M62 at Ainley Top at around 6pm.

Mr Moulson said the two white cars were stopped and searched.


The court also heard that prior to the day of the shooting Amin and an unidentified person referred to as 'Raa' exchanged WhatsApp messages referring to 'beef' and people named Meggy and Kash.

The messages included "Meggy giving big one" and "Kash sayin don't mention his name" [sic].

Mr Moulson reassured the jury: "This case - the one you are to try - is not concerned with the propriety, the rights or wrongs of that shooting.

"That matter is the sole concern of an independent investigation of the [IOPC]."

Mohammed Yassar Yaqub (centre) and photos from the scene

Amin, 32, previously of Broomer Street, Ravensthorpe, but now living at a bail address in Manchester, Arapaj, 28, of Thornlea Road in Crosland Moor, and Butlin deny conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

They are accused of carrying out the offence with Mr Yaqub.

Butlin, 39, previously of Upper Sunny Bank in Meltham, but now living on Huddersfield Road in Holmfirth, also denies having an offensive weapon, namely a push dagger.

The trial, which is expected to last three weeks, continues.