Terror suspects not quizzed about Tube plot

Three terrorist suspects have never been questioned by police about an alleged plot to attack the London Underground with poison gas, a court heard today.

The three, charged under the Terrorism Act, made a 15–minute appearance at Bow Street Magistrates court in central London.

The men, all of North African descent, were dressed casually and appeared in the dock with two interpreters.

Rabah Chehaj–Bias, 21, of Muswell Hill, north London. Rabah Kadre, 35, of no fixed address and Karim Kadouri, 33, of Duncombe Road, Holloway, north London, were remanded in custody for four weeks by district judge Timothy Workman and will appear again on 16 December.

According to lawyers for the three men details of the alleged plot had not been put to them and had only emerged in the press over the last few days.

They are all charged under Section 57 of the terrorism act with "possessing articles for the preparation, instigation and commission of terrorism."

Kadre, wearing blue tracksuit bottoms and a white jumper and Kadouri wearing a blue ski–jacket and blue tracksuit bottoms stood in the dock with their arms folded listening intently to their interpreters. Chehaj–Bias stood between them wearing a red jumper and blue trousers.

The men said nothing during the hearing.

After prosecutor Christopher Tarrant had applied for an adjournment. Paul

Farnhan, solicitor for Kadouri, said that none of the allegations which had

entered the public domain over the past few days had been put to his client.

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."

He added: "Do you believe the police officers or do you believe the press?"p>Gareth Peirce, solicitor for Kadre, said: "There's been a quite extraordinary tidal wave of completely contemptuous and prejudicial coverage of this case."

She said the press appeared to have declared "open season" and were taking "target practice".

She said: "They have been publishing completely manufactured information and stories which were never put to him in the police station."

She said she had written to the Attorney General regarding media coverage of the case.

The three men were arrested on 9 November. Chehaj–Bias made his first appearance at Bow Street Magistrates on 11 November and the other two appeared there first on 12 November.

Three other men were also arrested on 9 November – two were released on police bail and no further action was being taken against the other.