An associate of the fertiliser bomb plotters has been jailed for nine years because he tried to buy missiles and machine guns for a deadly terrorist strike on the UK.

British Muslim Kazi Nurur Rahman, 29, was arrested in an MI5 sting as he collected a consignment of three Uzi machine guns and 3,000 rounds of ammunition.

He had also ordered grenade and missile launchers at a cost of £65,000.

And when officers raided his flat they found details of an electricity substation which, if targeted, could have caused widespread blackouts in London.

In May 2006 Rahman, who was born in Wandsworth, pleaded guilty to possession of property which could be used for the purposes of terrorism.

But details could not be published until the conclusion of the trial of Omar Khyam and others, who were jailed yesterday for plotting a fertiliser bombing campaign to kill hundreds of people.

During Rahman's trial, supergrass Mohammed Junaid Babar gave details of Khyam's jihadist connections with Rahman, who he knew as Abdul Haleem.

The court heard how Rahman was first introduced to an undercover security services officer known as 'Salim' on July 20, 2005.

Although the meeting concerned buying counterfeit cash, Rahman asked about buying guns, a Kalashnikov and a silencer. On their next meeting in August, Rahman also discussed weapons.

David Farrell, QC, prosecuting said: "He asked about hand grenades and rocket propelled grenades, making hand gestures to describe the weapons.

"He spoke of two types of launchers. He said he would pay cash for the weapons and a provisional price of £1,000 per machine gun was agreed."

Rahman was eventually arrested as he met a second undercover officer for the handover of the weapons in November, 2005.

On raiding his home, police discovered literature referring to the terrorists involved in the World Trade Center attacks as martyrs.

Rahman initially claimed he had been recruited by MI5 to root out terrorist organisations but eventually admitted being in possession of the guns.

Sentencing Rahman, Judge David Calvert-Smith said: "The weaponry you were hoping to buy on the day of your arrest is dreadful and dangerous and capable of discharging 650 rounds per minute and therefore killing or wounding a very large number of people in a very short time.

"Your intention was they should be used or sold in this country for terrorist purposes.

"You were clearly in a position to raise £7,500 but also to indicate that it might have been possible to raise £65,000 on a future occasion to buy even more dangerous weaponry used for bringing down aircraft.

"What was intended was to cause the deaths of a large number of citizens of this country."

Rahman, of Meanley Road, Manor Park, East London, has been on remand at Belmarsh Prison since November 29, 2005.