Four men facing terrorist charges in connection wi

Four men facing terrorist charges in connection with a plot to manufacture the deadly poison ricin have appeared at the Old Bailey.

Samir Feddag, 26, his brother Mouloud Feddag, 18, Mustapha Taleb, 33, and a 17-year-old youth face charges under the Terrorism Act 2000 and the Chemical Weapons Act 1996.

But their brief hearing at the Old Bailey can only now be reported after the Recorder of London, Michael Hyam varied reporting restrictions today.

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On Friday he made an order under the Contempt of Court Act 1981 banning any publicity relating to their appearance.

But today he ammended the order so details relating to the preliminary hearing could be reported.

The four were arrested after a raid on a flat in Wood Green after an operation by MI5 and other specialist units.

A small amount of the poison – for which there is no known antidote – was allegedly found in the flat.

Mouloud Feddag and the 17-year-old, both of High Road, Wood Green, Samir Feddag, of no fixed address, and Mustapha Taleb, of Alexander Grove, Finsbury Park, spoke only to confirm their names during Friday’s brief preliminary hearing.

They are charged under the Terrorism Act 2000 with possessing ‘articles which give rise to the reasonable suspicion that they were for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.

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They are also accused under the Chemical Weapons Act 1996 of being involved in the ‘development or production of a chemical weapon.

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Taleb alone faces a further charge of possessing articles suspected of being connected with terrorism on or before September 26 last year.

The Recorder of London, Michael Hyam, remanded all four in custody on Friday.

They are due to appear at the Old Bailey again in eight weeks time.

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