N.Y. Plot Figure Cast Self in Heroic Role : Terrorism case: Egyptian immigrant told informer that justification for the killing of ‘infidels’ is found in the Koran.

A leading figure in the alleged New York terrorist conspiracy saw himself as an Islamic warrior, coordinating a cadre of like-minded extremists that he wanted kept in the dark about the ultimate purpose of their training, according to transcripts of conversations recorded by a government informer.

With justification he believed came from the Koran, Siddig Ibrahim Siddig Ali told informer Emad Ali Salem that Muslims earn martyrdom for killing an “infidel,” or enemy of Islam, according to 57 pages of transcripts obtained by the Washington Post from a source close to the case.

At one point the transcripts show Salem, a 43-year-old Egyptian immigrant, asking Siddig Ali, 32, a Sudanese immigrant, what the Feb. 26 World Trade Center bombing had to do with Islam. Before giving a lengthy reply based on Koranic verses, Siddig Ali said deaths were to be expected. “First of all, don’t expect that something like that occurs without a number of victims.”

Six people died and 1,000 others were injured in the blast.

The transcripts, small portions of which have appeared in other media, are of taped conversations that took place on May 7 and May 18 between Siddig Ali and Salem. Salem reportedly recorded 150 hours of discussions he participated in with the alleged conspirators.

The tapes may form the basis of the government’s case against Siddig Ali, Egyptian cleric Sheik Omar Abdul Rahman and 13 others indicted last week on 20 counts involving the World Trade Center bombing, alleged plots to bomb the U.N. headquarters and other sites in New York, an alleged scheme to assassinate Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and the 1990 killing of militant Zionist Rabbi Meir Kahane.

The planned violence was draped in religious fervor that the conversations suggest was approved in some measure by Abdul Rahman. The sheik is cast as an arbiter of the Islamic appropriateness of Siddig Ali’s plans, but it is not clear to what extent he approved specific parts of the alleged bombing scheme.

“I don’t make a step unless I check with the law of our religion from Sheik Omar,” Siddig Ali is quoted as saying. But at other points in the transcript, Siddig Ali appears to suggest that the sheik did not know details and should be kept ignorant of specific plans.

Salem’s credibility already has been called into question by defense attorneys. In the transcripts, he at times appears to lead Siddig Ali by providing specific instructions about timers and explosives.

Riding in his car on Manhattan’s West Side Highway on May 7, Salem said into his body microphone that he was on his way to meet with Siddig Ali, “ . . . to discuss the next bomb.”

In their talk that day at a New Jersey residence, they discussed detonation.

“This is the circle which is supposed to ignite the explosive,” Salem said. “It works by batteries.”

“Yeah,” said Siddig Ali.

“I’m showing you a very professional operation,” Salem said. “Since we talked, I started to get the timer which starts from zero to an hour.”

A few minutes later, as they discussed the process of assembly, Salem said: “But the technical operation, I’ll do it and no problem.”

Later in that day’s conversation, the roles seem reversed and Siddig Ali appears more the leader.

Salem asked Siddig Ali: “What do you want? Tell me, what is your target?”

“I want the United Nations,” said Siddig Ali, who later explained: “All U.N. resolutions are oppressive. It is against Islam and Muslims.”