Pilot remanded in custody in terror extradition case

An Algerian pilot accused of training some of the September 11 hijackers has been remanded in custody when he appeared in court.

An Algerian pilot accused of training some of the September 11 hijackers has been remanded in custody when he appeared in a south-east London court.

Lotfi Raissi, 27, appeared at top security Belmarsh Magistrates Court as part of extradition proceedings brought by the United States government.

He is charged with making a false statement when applying for a pilot's licence from the US Federal Aviation Authority.

The United States prosecution has made it clear that these are "holding charges".

They suspect Raissi was an instructor of some of the pilots responsible for the hijacking, including the man who took control of the flight which crashed into the Pentagon.

Metropolitan Police officers arrested Raissi, who was living at Colnbrook, Berkshire, near Heathrow Airport, under the Terrorism Act on September 21.

District Judge Timothy Workman warned he had some concerns about the case but remanded him in custody until January 11.

Raissi was flanked by three security guards during the one-and-a-half-hour hearing.

He held his head in his hands and looked to the heavens during the proceedings and spoke only to confirm his name and to confirm that he understood the situation.