Algerian immigrant plotted to fund Bin Laden, court told

An Algerian immigrant accused of plotting to fund and promote Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'ida network has been linked scientifically to materials promoting terrorism, a court was told yesterday.

Brahim Benmerzouga's fingerprints were allegedly discovered on eight pages of an Arabic book devoted to fighting and killing non-Muslims as part of a global jihad, or holy war. The book, found at the house in Leicester of a close associate of Mr Benmerzouga, appeared to justify killing civilians, and the use of women and children as human shields, a jury at Leicester Crown Court was told.

Mr Benmerzouga, 31, who was arrested two weeks after the 11 September bombings and had been watched by British intelligence for months, also collected the credit card details of 85 people to raise money – possibly more than £100,000 – for the terrorist cause, Mark Ellison, for the prosecution, told the court. Mr Benmerzouga and another Algerian, Baghdad Meziane, 38, an asylum-seeker, deny "entering into a funding arrangement for purposes of terrorism".

Fake passports and visas were found at Mr Benmerzouga's home, Mr Ellison said. In the boot of a car registered under an alias of Mr Benmerzouga, detectives found 61 videos, some featuring Bin Laden, detailing holy wars against Christians worldwide and calling on Muslims to support "the fight against the infidels".

The trial continues today.