Terror student fails in bail bid

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Scotland's first convicted Islamist terrorist has lost a bid to be freed.

Student Mohammed Atif Siddique, 22, was locked up for eight years last October for a string of terrorism offences.

He has always maintained his innocence and was hoping to be released from prison as he attempts to have his conviction overturned.

His request for bail, pending the outcome of his appeal was refused by three senior judges at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh.

The shopkeeper's son, from Alva, Clackmannanshire, was convicted last year after a four-week trial in Glasgow of two charges under the Terrorism Act 2000, one under the Terrorism Act 2006 and a breach of the peace.

He was jailed after the jury found that Siddique,, described by prosecutors as a "wannabe suicide bomber", had amassed and distributed terrorist propaganda via websites.

'Not persuaded'

He was also convicted of providing instructional material about guns and explosives over the internet.

At a procedural hearing in Edinburgh, his legal team made a bid for him to be granted interim liberation.

Defence QC Edgar Prais told the court his client has already spent the "significant" period of two and a half years in custody, and was segregated from other prisoners for much of the time for his protection.

He also argued there was no risk that he would flee the country.

The proceedings followed a similar hearing in May when a single judge, Lord Matthews, refused to grant him bail.

Lord Nimmo Smith, sitting with Lords Eassie and Kingarth, also ruled Siddique should remain behind bars.

Lord Nimmo Smith said: "We are not persuaded that any material change of circumstances has occurred since such an application was last considered."

In July this year, Siddique's lawyers successfully urged judges to admit two grounds of appeal which were previously thrown out by another judge at an earlier stage.

One of the grounds centres on what his lawyers said was a "misdirection" by the trial judge when he gave his directions to the jury.

They can now also put forward the defence of "reasonable excuse" to explain why their client possessed material with alleged links to terrorism.

A full appeal, which could last up to eight days, will be held on a future date which has still to be decided.