Students deny bomb hoax

Three Luton University students pleaded not guilty at Luton Crown Court on Monday to making a fake bomb hoax.

They were arrested on 21 March after police evacuated student halls of residence in Bute Street, Luton, and called in a bomb disposal unit.

Azhar Ali, 21, Wajad Majad, 19 and Abdul Malik, 25, all denied the charge of conspiracy to place a hoax bomb with the intention to induce the belief that it was likely to explode or ignite, causing injury or damage to property.

The men, two of whom are computer students and one who is studying human resources, are all from north London.

Their trial will be held in the summer but no date has been fixed.

All three were granted conditional bail.