Terror suspects refused bail

The suspects were arrested before Christmas

Six north Africans accused of terrorism offences have been refused bail by a High Court judge.

The men, all from Algeria, appeared at a private hearing before the High Court in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

Lord Johnston refused to grant them bail while waiting for their trial to begin.

Karim Benamghar (31) and Salah Moullef (32) both of Albion Road, and Hakim Ziem (31) of Easter Road, all Edinburgh, were detained in Scotland.

Abdellah Abdelhafid (33) and Sofiane Lahamar Hassim Ziem (29) both of Burnham Way, West Ealing, London, and Mourad Idir Abes (27) of Ridgefield Road, Cowley, in Oxford, were arrested in London.

A seventh co-accused Algerian, Ghalem Belhadj (36) whose address was not given, did not make an application for bail.

All seven appeared last month at Edinburgh Sheriff Court charged with an alleged offence under a section of the Terrorism Act 2000.

The section makes it an offence for a person to possess an article in circumstances which give rise to a reasonable suspicion that the possession is for a purpose connected with "the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism".