The three Muslim men who attempted to blow up seven U.S.-bound airliners by hiding liquid explosives in soda bottles were sentenced to life in prison on Monday.

A British judge handed Abdulla Ahmed Ali, the man thought to be behind the potential massacre, a minimum sentence of 40 years. His co-conspirators Tanvir Hussain, 28, and Assad Sarwar, 29, were each ordered to serve a minimum of 32 to 36 years behind bars.

Justice Richard Henriques stated that the men had gathered enough chemicals to create at least 20 homemade bombs, and that the "intention was to perpetrate a terrorist outrage that would stand alongside the events of Sept. 11, 2001 in history." (New York Daily News)

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