British man on terror charge

Sajid Badat is accused of conspiring with shoe bomber Richard Reid

A Gloucester man has been charged with conspiring with "shoe bomber" Richard Reid, who tried to blow up a plane.

Sajid Badat, 24, arrested on Thursday, is facing three charges altogether, involving having explosives with intent to endanger life.

Mr Badat is due before London's Bow Street Magistrates Court on Thursday.

A US court jailed Reid for life in January, for trying to blow up a Paris-to-Miami flight carrying 197 people in 2001.

All three charges against Mr Badat were brought under the 1883 Explosive Substances Act, which was amended by the Terrorism Act in 2000.

The charges refer to dates between 1 September 2001 and 28 November 2003, and refer to the UK or elsewhere.

They said he:

• "Unlawfully and maliciously conspired with Richard Reid and others unknown, to cause by an explosive device an explosion of a nature likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property in the United Kingdom or elsewhere."

• "Unlawfully and maliciously had in your possession or under your control an explosive substance with intent by means thereof to endanger life, or cause serious injury to property in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, or to enable any other person so to do."

• "Knowingly had in your possession or under your control an explosive substance, under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that you did not have it in your possession or under your control for a lawful object."

The first two charges refer to the broad timescale of 1 September 2001 to 28 November 2003.

The third charge specifically said he had the explosives on 27 November 2003.

Before moving to Gloucester, Mr Badat studied at the College of Islamic Knowledge and Guidance in Blackburn, Lancashire.

The college and two houses in Blackburn were searched by police when Mr Badat was arrested.