The man who called a minicab that ferried guns and ammunition from Bradford to Keighley told a jury he was innocently helping out a friend and had no knowledge of what was going on.

Mohammed Amber, 25, said he summoned the cab for Umear Hussain and then burned a black binliner in an alleyway because Hussain told him to.

Amber, of Upper Woodlands Road, Girlington, Bradford, was yesterday giving evidence in his defence at Bradford Crown Court. He is on trial with Ishfaq Ali, 28, of Kensington Street, Toller Lane, Bradford, and Mobeen Hussain, 25, of Fairbank Road, Girlington. All three deny possession of a prohibited firearm and having another firearm and ammunition in a public place. Sheraz Ali, 31, also of Girlington, and Umear Hussain, 24, of Preston Place, Halifax, have pleaded guilty to the offences.

Amber told the jury he did not know Sheraz Ali or his brother, Ishfaq Ali. Umear Hussain was an old school friend and he had known Mobeen Hussain for about a year.

The court has heard that Sheraz Ali told the police a firearm was being moved on December 14 last year. Ali was in Leeds Prison at the time accused of involvement in a drugs conspiracy. Umear Hussain was arrested by armed officers outside McDonald’s in Keighley. They seized a bag from the minicab that contained a .22 rifle, with the stock and barrel shortened, a .410 double barrel shotgun and six shotgun cartridges.

Amber told the jury he called a minicab for Umear Hussain at 6.30pm on December 14. Hussain did not have enough credit on his phone and he was doing him a favour.

He saw Umear Hussain and Mobeen Hussain standing with the cab on Woodlands Terrace, Girlington. Amber said Umear Hussain owed him £200 and he asked him for the money.

Umear Hussain then told him to burn a black binliner he was carrying. He said he asked him why but was ordered: “Just burn the bag.” “I was thinking it was suspicious,” Amber said.

He set fire to the empty bag in an alleyway and walked to Toller Lane to collect a takeaway meal.

“I knew nothing at all about guns,” he told the court.

He said he did not see Umear Hussain put a bag into the taxi.

Ishfaq Ali did not give evidence in his defence or call any witnesses.

The defence barristers were today summing up their cases to the jury. The trial continues.