Scottish trial set for Stockholm terror accused

Nasserdine Menni made a brief appearance at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday before judge Lord Woolman.

Menni is alleged to have acted with Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, who is now dead, to further terrorist aims by criminal and other means including the use of explosive devices in the commission of an act of terrorism in Stockholm, Sweden, with intent to murder members of the public. This offence is alleged to have been committed between 1 January 2003 and 8 March 2011 at various addresses in Glasgow, and in England, Sweden, Syria and Iraq.

Menni is also alleged to have repeatedly communicated with al-Abdaly by telephone, e-mail and over the internet and other unknown means to discuss how he would pursue the conspiracy.

The Crown claims al-Abdaly sent three audio recordings of his voice in which he claimed to have carried out an alleged intent-to-murder plot in Stockholm to family members, the Swedish media and the Swedish Security Police. It is also alleged that al-Abdaly detonated an improvised explosive device, which killed him, all with intent to murder members of the public on 11 December 2010 at Oluf Palmes Gata and Bryggargaten, Stockholm.

Menni is also accused of opening bank accounts in false names and giving false details while seeking asylum in the UK.

He is said on the indictment to be known by seven other names including Ezzedin Khaled Ahmed al-Khaledi.

It is alleged Menni worked with al-Abdaly and others “in the commission of an act of terrorism”. The intent to murder allegation contains 21 different allegations.

It firstly includes a claim that Menni repeatedly communicated with Mr al-Abdaly to “discuss the means by which to pursue said conspiracy”.

Menni is said to have transferred £5,725 to an account in the name of Taimour Abdulwahab.

It is further claimed that on 9 April 2009, Menni set up an e-mail account using the name Izzeldin Fakhri and sent the password by text message to al-Abdaly.

The accused is later alleged to have handed bank cards and PIN numbers to another man

Menni, whose date of birth is unknown to the prosecutor, is alleged to have obtained a National Insurance number using a different name and then fraudulently claimed more than £20,000 in benefits.

He is also accused of obtaining housing and council tax benefits from Glasgow City Council by fraud between 6 April 2009 and 15 March 2011.

Menni, who was living in Glasgow, is also alleged to have repeatedly attempted to avoid monitoring and detection by officers of Strathclyde Police.

Menni denies all the charges against him.