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Sunday, November 24, 2024  
22 Jumada Al-Awwal 1446  

Woman before London court on terrorism charges

Woman before London court on terrorism chargesA young woman appeared before a British court on Friday charged with having terrorist handbooks, including weapons manuals and poison information, on her home computer.
Wearing a black headscarf, Samina Malik, from Southall, west London, smiled at five family members who were in the public gallery when she entered the dock at City of Westminster Magistrates Court, central London.
Malik, who is unemployed, faces charges under two sections of the Terrorism Act 2000.
The first alleges she had information on her computer hard drive "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".
This was alleged to include the "al Qaeda Manual", "The Terrorist's Handbook" and "The Mujahideen Poisons Handbook".
Further information included manuals for a 9mm pistol and an anti-tank weapon, a document on mines and demolition and a folder of other items.
Possession of items such as these is an offence under Section 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
The second charge alleges Malik had in her possession "miscellaneous jottings" which may have been held for a purpose connected with terrorism, also contrary to the same section of the legislation.
The third charge alleges that Malik selected the information, manuals and handbooks and they would be useful to a terrorist contrary to Section 58 of the act.
The fourth charge alleges that Malik possessed "miscellaneous jottings" likely to be useful to a terrorist, contrary to the same section of the act.
Malik was denied bail and remanded in custody until November 17.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2006