France jails shoe-bomber contact

Rama, a Pakistani, had links with Kashmiri militants

A French court has passed a five-year jail sentence on a Pakistani terror suspect accused of having had contacts with shoe-bomber Richard Reid.

But the main charge against Ghulam Rama related to his links with a militant Kashmiri group.

Rama was one of three men convicted of belonging to a "criminal association in relation to a terrorist enterprise".

The other two received shorter terms matching their time in custody awaiting trial, and are due to be released.

Rama, 67, headed Chemin Droit (Straight Path), a French-based charity.

The prosecution said he served as a link to Lashkar-e-Toiba, an Islamic militant group fighting for independence in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Prosecutors also said Rama had served as a "compass" on French territory for Reid, a Briton serving life in the US for trying to blow up an airliner.

However they said the Pakistani was not an accessory to the attack - which took place when Reid attempted to set off explosives in his shoe on a transatlantic flight in December 2001.

The other two defendants, Frenchmen Hassan El Cheguer and Hakim Mokhfi, were also members of Chemin Droit.