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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Solicitor faces contempt hearing | Solicitor faces contempt hearing |
| (1 day later) | |
| A lawyer is to face a two-day contempt of court hearing over comments he made about the conviction of a student on terror charges. | |
| Aamer Anwar appeared before three judges for a preliminary hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh. | Aamer Anwar appeared before three judges for a preliminary hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh. |
| It followed a statement he read which denounced the guilty verdict on Mohammed Atif Siddique, 21, who was jailed for eight years. | It followed a statement he read which denounced the guilty verdict on Mohammed Atif Siddique, 21, who was jailed for eight years. |
| The contempt hearing is expected to take place in the new year. | The contempt hearing is expected to take place in the new year. |
| The trial judge Lord Carloway said Mr Anwar had made "disparaging remarks" about the jury and the prosecution. | The trial judge Lord Carloway said Mr Anwar had made "disparaging remarks" about the jury and the prosecution. |
| He said the statement also contained remarks which were untrue and misleading, when he called Mr Anwar before him to explain his conduct. | He said the statement also contained remarks which were untrue and misleading, when he called Mr Anwar before him to explain his conduct. |
| Court criticism | Court criticism |
| In court, Stephen Woolman QC told the judge Mr Anwar made the statement on behalf of Siddique. | In court, Stephen Woolman QC told the judge Mr Anwar made the statement on behalf of Siddique. |
| In referring the matter to three judges at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Carloway said it was clear they were Mr Anwar's own views. | In referring the matter to three judges at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Carloway said it was clear they were Mr Anwar's own views. |
| Glasgow-based Mr Anwar appeared before Lords Osborne, Macfadyen and Kingarth. | Glasgow-based Mr Anwar appeared before Lords Osborne, Macfadyen and Kingarth. |
| They decided that two days should be set aside to hear the arguments in the case, although they did not fix a specific date for the hearing. | They decided that two days should be set aside to hear the arguments in the case, although they did not fix a specific date for the hearing. |
| Lord Osborne requested that transcripts of the statement made at the High Court in Glasgow and of a subsequent television interview on the BBC's Newsnight Scotland be made available to the court when the full hearing takes place. | Lord Osborne requested that transcripts of the statement made at the High Court in Glasgow and of a subsequent television interview on the BBC's Newsnight Scotland be made available to the court when the full hearing takes place. |
| Defence QC Paul McBride, representing Mr Anwar, said it would take six or seven weeks for the various transcripts to be prepared. | Defence QC Paul McBride, representing Mr Anwar, said it would take six or seven weeks for the various transcripts to be prepared. |
| The judge also ordered the transcription of the defence speech made to the jury during the trial and a transcript of the hearing before Lord Carloway when the matter was first discussed. | The judge also ordered the transcription of the defence speech made to the jury during the trial and a transcript of the hearing before Lord Carloway when the matter was first discussed. |
| Lord Osborne said he wanted to know whether the accused in the trial had authorised the statement that was delivered. | Lord Osborne said he wanted to know whether the accused in the trial had authorised the statement that was delivered. |
| Criminal charges | Criminal charges |
| Mr Anwar made no comment as he left the building. | Mr Anwar made no comment as he left the building. |
| Computer student Siddique, from Alva in Clackmannanshire, was found guilty of providing material on bomb making and weapons training and threatening to become a suicide bomber. | Computer student Siddique, from Alva in Clackmannanshire, was found guilty of providing material on bomb making and weapons training and threatening to become a suicide bomber. |
| He was jailed for eight years in October. | He was jailed for eight years in October. |
| In his statement, read out on the steps of the High Court in Glasgow, his solicitor, Mr Anwar, denounced the decision as a "tragedy for justice and for freedom of speech". | In his statement, read out on the steps of the High Court in Glasgow, his solicitor, Mr Anwar, denounced the decision as a "tragedy for justice and for freedom of speech". |
| He claimed the computing student did not receive a fair trial and that the trial was heard in an "atmosphere of hostility". | He claimed the computing student did not receive a fair trial and that the trial was heard in an "atmosphere of hostility". |
| And the lawyer also said that the prosecution was "driven by the state". | And the lawyer also said that the prosecution was "driven by the state". |
| Lord Carloway said Anwar's statement seemed to criticise the court as "not being an independent and objective forum for the determination of criminal charges but part of a system of unfairness and repression". | Lord Carloway said Anwar's statement seemed to criticise the court as "not being an independent and objective forum for the determination of criminal charges but part of a system of unfairness and repression". |
| He said: "A private citizen may choose to make such criticisms or attacks on the courts and the law, but it is another thing for a law agent in a particular case to use his position in that case to do so." | He said: "A private citizen may choose to make such criticisms or attacks on the courts and the law, but it is another thing for a law agent in a particular case to use his position in that case to do so." |