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Istanbul terror victim buried

Sophie Goodchild,Andrew Johnson
Sunday 30 November 2003 01:00 GMT
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The funeral was held yesterday for one of three Britons killed in a terrorist attack last week on the British Embassy in Istanbul. More than 200 people packed into a small church in Ayrshire for the funeral of Nanette Elizabeth Kurma, a 41-year-old interpreter.

She died when suicide bombers attacked the offices of London-based bank HSBC and the British consulate.

Meanwhile, police were continuing to question a 24-year-old man yesterday who is suspected of having connections with al-Qa'ida. He was arrested on Thursday in Gloucester as part of country-wide anti-terrorism raids. There has been speculation that Sajit Badat was planning a suicide-bomb attack on a British target. Police have denied reports that he was planning to blow up a football stadium.

Police said they had found a small quantity of explosives in the terraced house where Mr Badat lives with his family. Police said that "nothing significant" had been found at three other properties in the city.

The security services have been monitoring Mr Badat for more than a year. Sources said this was linked to inquiries following the arrest of Richard Reid, the man jailed for trying to bring down an American Airlines plane in December 2001. When he was 18, Mr Badat travelled around Pakistan and Afghanistan, where, it is claimed, he came to the attention of Pakistan's secret police. They also discovered Mr Badat had worshipped at the Finsbury Park mosque and a mosque in Brixton where Reidworshipped.

Complaints about comments made by Mr Blunkett about the suspect have been referred to the Attorney General. Lord Goldsmith has been asked to examine whether he is in contempt of court over his comments surrounding the arrest of Mr Badat.

The Attorney General's office said his comments would be "considered" as part of a review of the reporting of Mr Badat's arrest.

Matthias Kelly QC, chairman of the Bar Council, said that these remarks could prejudice any future trial.

Police investigating a cheque and credit card fraud are questioning six men under the Terrorism Act, it emerged yesterday. The men, all of North African origin, are being held by Sussex police after they were arrested in Eastbourne earlier in the week.

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