Terror suspect stays in custody

Lotfi Raissi (right) will re-appear in court next month

An Algerian pilot accused of training some of the 11 September hijackers has again been remanded in custody by a court in London.

Lotfi Raissi, 27, appeared at 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".

Judge's concerns

They suspect Mr 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 Mr Raissi, who was living at Colnbrook, Berkshire, near Heathrow Airport, under the Terrorism Act on 21 September.

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

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

He spoke only to confirm his name and to confirm that he understood the situation.