London, Sep 14 - Naming Pakistan as the country from where they were 'controlled', a judge Monday sent three British Muslims to jail for a total of at least 108 years for plotting to blow up liquid bombs on flights from Britain to North America.

Ringleader Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 28, was jailed for at least 40 years, plot 'quartermaster' Assad Sarwar, 29, for at least 36 years and Tanvir Hussain, 28, for at least 32 years.

Judge Richard Henriques said crucial evidence presented at the retrial - emails which were unavailable to prosecutors in the first trial last year - 'are a vital source of information as to the control, progress and scope of this conspiracy'.

'They establish beyond question the ultimate control of this conspiracy lay in Pakistan,' he told the men - who were born in Britain but had close links with Pakistan - at Woolwich Crown Court in London.

He said others in Pakistan controlled, monitored and funded the plot.

Evidence at the trial showed that several of the plotters, like those of 9/11, had travelled to Pakistan for indoctrination and training by extremist groups linked to Al Qaeda.

British and US security officials said the plan was directly linked to Al Qaeda and guided by Islamic militants in Pakistan, who sent instructions to the group via coded email messages.