One of the alleged July 21 bomb plotters has denied in court that he was a fanatic who wants to blow people up.

Ghanaian-born Manfo Kwaku Asiedu, who the Crown claim dumped his rucksack device after losing his nerve at the last minute, told Woolwich Crown Court he had even applied to join the British Army.

His counsel, Stephen Kamlish QC, opened his client's case saying that not only was Asiedu not a suicide bomber, but that he potentially saved a tower block of people from being blown up.

He later put it to him: "It's alleged that you are a fanatic, do you understand? [An] anti-British, anti-American fanatic who wants to blow people up."

"No that's not true," Asiedu replied. "Fanaticism has never come across my mind. In Ghana we don't have extremism."

Asiedu "broke rank" and turned on co-defendant Muktar Said Ibrahim two months into the trial, accusing him of planning an attack "bigger and better" than July 7.

On Tuesday, he took to the witness box for the first time and told the court his real name was in fact Sumaila Abubakhari and that he is 28 - not 34. Wearing a crisp white shirt, dark blue tie and grey suit, Asiedu said he came to the UK in December 2003 using a passport in someone else's name and applied for the Army. He said he did not consider what countries he might be sent to on active service.

"I didn't even think about Iraq or somewhere else - I just wanted to join the army".

Asiedu of no fixed address, Ibrahim, 29, of Stoke Newington, north London, Omar, 26, from New Southgate, north London, and Osman 28, of no fixed address are among six men accused of taking part in an extremist Muslim plot to carry out a series of murderous suicide bombings on the London transport system.

The others are Ramzi Mohammed, 25, of North Kensington, west London and Adel Yahya, 24, of High Road, Tottenham, north London. They all deny charges of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions likely to endanger life. The trial was adjourned until Wednesday.