Pilot held in UK ‘trained US hijackers’

An Algerian pilot arrested by British police was an instructor for four of the hijackers involved in the September 11 attacks on the US, a court heard today.

The allegation against Lotfi Raissi was made by prosecutor Arvinda Sambir during an extradition hearing held after Raissi, originally detained on September 21 by Metropolitan Police anti-terrorism detectives, was re-arrested today at the request of the US authorities.