Heathrow Worker Has 'Terror' Conviction Quashed

A former Heathrow airport worker who made history as the first GB woman to be convicted of possession of information that would be of use to terrorists - alleged terror manuals - has had her conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal.

Samina Malik, 24, was accused of collecting information "likely to be useful to those preparing a terrorist act".

The conviction has now been quashed after prosecution lawyers said it was "unsafe".

Ms Malik, who did not appear in court, was handed a nine-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months in December 2007.

She was the first woman to be convicted under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Sue Hemming, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Counter Terrorism Division, said: "Since Ms Malik's conviction, the law has been clarified by the Court of Appeal.

"The result is that some of the 21 documents we relied on in Ms Malik's trial would no longer be held capable of giving practical assistance to terrorists.

"However other documents in her possession, including 'the al-Qaida Manual', 'the Terrorist's Handbook', 'the Mujahideen Poisons Handbook' and several military manuals, clearly retain that potential. We therefore have no doubt that it was right to bring this prosecution.

"Nevertheless, taking into account the time Ms Malik spent on remand before her first trial, and the likely non-custodial sentence she would receive upon conviction in a retrial, we have decided not to seek a retrial on those manuals," Ms Hemming said.

She also added that Ms Malik was "not prosecuted for her poetry" but for "possessing documents that could provide practical assistance to terrorists".

Ms Hemming also said that Ms Malik had supplied information about airport security procedures to Sohail Qureshi who was later arrested for trying to board a flight to Pakistan carrying equipment he admitted he was taking to terrorists in Pakistan.

It is understood that Ms Malik posted extremist poems on websites under the screen name "the Lyrical Terrorist," but remained adamant that they were "meaningless".

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Islamic extremists could receive counselling instead of criminal charges under new Government plans to 'deradicalise' religious fanatics.

It is understood the move is part of a £12.5 milion Home Office plan which will give councils guidance about how to prevent extremism spreading.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "A key element of our strategy aims to stop people getting involved in extremist violence."

See: First Female Jailed For Terrorist Offences

(DS)