'Terror abroad' retrial ruled out

A man accused of orchestrating terror attacks in Pakistan from his home in London will not face a retrial.

Hyrbyair Marri, 40, was accused of being a key supporter of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

A jury at Woolwich Crown Court last month cleared him of three terror charges but failed to reach verdicts on two further counts.

Prosecutors said it was not in the public interest to pursue allegations against the ex-Balochistan politician.

Insurgents have been fighting for independence for the province.

But defence lawyers maintained Mr Marri and a co-defendant had been acting in self-defence.

Jury's verdicts

Refugee Mr Marri, of Ealing, west London, was cleared of possessing terrorist articles, collecting terrorist information and preparing terrorist acts.

Jurors failed to return verdicts on counts of inciting acts of terrorism overseas - including murder - and collecting terrorist information.

The jury cleared Mr Marri's friend Faiz Baluch, 27, of Wembley, north-west London, of all five charges.

The men were alleged to have used websites and telephone links to call on others to kill in the name of the banned organisation.

A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokeswoman said: "The CPS has decided not to seek a retrial of Hyrbyair Marri on two charges relating to the inciting of others to commit terrorist acts abroad in pursuit of self-government for Balochistan.

"The CPS counter-terrorism division has carefully considered the evidence against Hyrbyair Marri in light of the jury's verdicts and decided that the case no longer meets the tests set out in the code for Crown prosecutors."

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