Contempt claim by lawyers for terror suspects

Three North African terror suspects were remanded in custody by a judge in London yesterday after their lawyers formally complained to the Attorney General over media reports linking the defendants to potential poison gas attacks on the Tube network.

The men, Rabah Chehaj-Bias, 21, Rabah Kadre, 35, and Karim Kadouri, 33, were arrested last week and charged under the Terrorism Act with possessing materials for the "preparation, instigation or commission" of terrorism.

Yesterday, Timothy Workman, a district judge at Bow Street magistrates' court, said the charges were so serious they must remain in custody and reappear in court on 16 December. Lawyers for Mr Kadre and Mr Kadouri said media reporting, claiming the defendants planned a poison gas attack, had prejudiced proceedings.

Gareth Peirce, for Mr Kadre, said she had written to the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, asking him to take action under the Contempt of Court Act. Ms Peirce, who represented defendants in the Guildford Four pub bombings case, said: "There has been a quite extraordinary tidal wave of completely contemptuous and prejudicial coverage of this case." She accused the press and media legal advisers of appearing to have "taken leave of their senses in respect of contempt of court".

The north Africans stood in the dock alongside two interpreters, who translated the proceedings to them. Mr Chehaj-Bias, who gave his address as Muswell Hill, north London, was in a navy anorak and tracksuit bottoms. Mr Khadouri, from Holloway, north London, wore a burgundy-coloured jumper and navy tracksuit trousers. Mr Kadre, of no fixed abode, had a white sweatshirt and dark tracksuit bottoms.

Paul Farnhan, a lawyer for Mr Kadouri, said police had never questioned the men about alleged plans to attack the Tube system. He said: "We spent six days at the police station and not a shred of what had come out in another arena, the public arena, has been put at that stage or the week since. Do you believe the police officers or do you believe the press?" Mr Farnhan said delays in the case could lead to further prejudicial reporting.

Earlier, Christopher Tarrant, for the prosecution, had asked for a four-week adjournment to gather more evidence. The judge agreed but said bail would be inappropriate.

John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, has denied the reports linking the defendants to a planned attack on the Tube. He said in a television interview on Sunday: "It doesn't appear there is any evidence whatsoever there was going to be a gas attack, or, indeed, use of bombs regarding the three who have been arrested."