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Spy-charge trial 'one year away' Bail refused to 'British patriot'
(about 2 hours later)
A British soldier charged with passing on secret information "to the enemy" may have to wait a year to stand trial, the Old Bailey has heard. A soldier accused of passing secret information to a foreign power was a "proud British patriot", the Old Bailey has heard.
Interpreter Corporal Daniel James, 44, of Brighton, is charged under the Official Secrets Act 1911. Corporal Daniel James, 44, from Brighton, was refused bail after being charged under the Official Secrets Act.
He is accused of communicating information that may be "directly or indirectly useful to the enemy" - widely believed to be Iran. But the Iranian-born interpreter's barrister, Paul Raudnitz, said: "He is a British patriot. There is not in any sense a conflict of interest.
"He does not owe anything to any other country or party."
Mr James, who worked as a translator for General David Richards, is accused of communicating information that may be "directly or indirectly useful to the enemy" - widely believed to be Iran.
Gen Richards was the British commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan.
Mr James, who came to Britain aged 14 and became a British citizen in 1986, is alleged to have committed the offence on 2 November last year.
There is not in any sense a conflict of interest, There is no division of loyalties at all. He does not owe anything to any other country or party Paul Raudnitz
Mr James, a Territorial Army soldier, appeared at the Old Bailey by video-link from Wandsworth prison for a preliminary hearing.
Mr Raudnitz said he had joined the TA in 1987 and added: "That was a deliberate act of patriotic duty towards the country that had taken him in. He is a British patriot.
"There is not in any sense a conflict of interest, There is no division of loyalties at all. He does not owe anything to any other country or party."
Mr Raudnitz said his client was a fluent Farsi speaker - the predominant language of Iran - and in 2005 the Army asked him if he would take a course to become fluent in Dari, a closely-related language which is widely spoken in Afghanistan.
Charges disputed
In March 2006 he was deployed to Afghanistan and he ended up working for Gen Richards. Mr Raudnitz said: "His role was to translate only for General Richards when he spoke openly to local people.
"What was discussed with local people was never of a sensitive nature. Primarily he translated speeches given publicly to local people.
"He was never party to any conversation that could be considered sensitive between General Richards and his colleagues. They were in English and he was not called upon."
Mr Raudnitz said he "vehemently disputed" the charges.
He also added that Mr James was not a fluent speaker of Pashtun, as had been widely reported.
The court was told the trial would take place in or before January next year.The court was told the trial would take place in or before January next year.
Mr James, an Iranian-born Territorial Army soldier, appeared at the Old Bailey by video-link from Wandsworth prison for a preliminary hearing. The judge, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith, adjourned the case for a plea and case management hearing on 15 June.
Bail application Bail was refused and Mr James was remanded in custody.
After an hour, the court went into camera to discuss a bail application.
Mr Justice Calvert-Smith said Mr James would appear at the court on 15 June for a plea and case management hearing.
The judge said he hoped the trial would take place on or before January next year.
It could last three months, he added.
Mr James, who became a British citizen in 1986 and speaks fluent Pashtu, the main language of southern Afghanistan, is said to have committed the offence on November 2 last year.
The charge states that he "communicated to another person information calculated to be, or that might be, or intended to be directly or indirectly useful to the enemy".
At the time, he was an interpreter for General David Richards, the British commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan.