London:
A British Airways computer expert will face trial on terrorism charges for allegedly offering to become a suicide bomber, a judge ruled on Friday.
Rajib Karim, 30, was arrested last month in Newcastle, northeast England, where he was working at a BA call centre, and has been charged with preparing terrorism in Britain and abroad.
Ruling at the Old Bailey, Judge David Calvert-Smith remanded Karim in custody until another court hearing in June before a full eight-week trial scheduled for January next year.
Karim, detained after allegedly sending money to Yemen, has been charged on three counts under the Terrorism Acts of 2000 and 2006, with offences alleged to have happened between April 2006 and February 2010.
Among the allegations were that he "offered to become a martyr or suicide bomber", and that he offered "the potential opportunity to gain cabin crew access and/or the potential opportunity to gain cabin crew training information and/or cabin crew experience and inside knowledge".
No pleas were entered at today's hearing.