News In Focus
10 February 2010
Crown not to seek retrial on terrorism charge
The Scottish student convicted of terrorism offences will not face a further trial after his conviction on the main charge was quashed, the Crown has announced.
Last month Mohammed Siddique won his appeal against conviction of possessing articles with a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, contrary to section 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000, on the basis that the trial judge misdirected the jury as to the relevant law.
Siddique, whose conviction on three other charges still stands, remained in custody until the Crown announced its decision, but was freed yesterday afer spending four years in prison.
In a statement the Crown said: "After careful consideration of the appeal court's judgment, the Crown has decided not to seek authority for a retrial. The fact that Mr Siddique has already served the majority of his sentence for charge 1, and has de facto served his sentence in full for the other terrorist offences, of which he remains convicted, means that a retrial would have little practical effect. Accordingly, the Crown has concluded that a retrial would not be in the public interest."
The other charges were under section 54 of the 2000 Act (setting up websites providing links to documents providing instructions on how to operate weaponry and make explosives); section 2 of the Terrorism Act 2006 (circulating terrorist publications by means of websites to encourage, induce or assist the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism); and breach of the peace by showing images of suicide bombers, murders and beheadings to fellow students, threatening to be a suicide bomber and to carry out terrorism in Glasgow or elsewhere.
In a statement made through his solicitor Aamer Anwar, Siddique claimed that the law should bring to account "those who plan acts of terror and not criminalise young Muslims for thought crime and possession of propaganda".
He added: "In court it was said I was a wannabe suicide bomber, but I have always said I was simply looking for answers on the internet."