Accused pilot gets damages

Lotfi Raissi has also filed separate claims against the US

A UK-based pilot wrongly accused of training the 11 September hijackers has received an apology and damages from the Mail on Sunday.

Lotfi Raissi's lawyer told London's High Court an article published on 30 September 2001 included allegations made by US investigators that the pilot was involved in the plot.

The newspaper also alleged Mr Raissi had used the social security number of a dead grandmother to establish a false identity.

Mr Raissi was arrested at his home 10 days after the attack and held at London's Belmarsh prison for five months. But he was later cleared when a British judge said he had no links to terrorism.

The court said the newspaper now also accepted "there was no evidence whatsoever to support the contention that Mr Raissi had been involved in the September 11th conspiracy".

Timothy Pinto, lawyer for the Mail on Sunday, said the newspaper has apologised to Mr Raissi, but the amount of damages awarded has not been disclosed.

Mr Raissi's lawyers said he and his wife were "pleased to have got vindication of their reputation from a section of the media which failed to treat him fairly".

Algerian-born Lotfi Raissi has also filed separate claims against the FBI and the US Department of Justice, in order to "restore his good reputation".