Al Qaeda Magazines On Aberdeen Terror Accused Computer On US Navy Site
A terror trial jury's heard that an Al Qaeda magazine is available on the US Navy website.
Aberdeen medical student Yousif Badri, 29, denies downloading material which gives a guide to manufacturing weapons and making bombs.
Ten copies of Inspire an online magazine produced by the terrorsit organisation Al Qarda was found on an external hard drive when police raided Badri's flat in Aberdeen on June 6, 2013.
The editions of the magazine include articles or how to use a gun and how to make a bomb in the kitchen.
Dr Matthew Levitt of the Washington Institute, who formerly worked for the FBI, who was giving evidence at the High Court in Glasgow through a video link for the second day, was asked by defence QC Murdo Macleod: "Did you know these magazines are on the US Naval website?"
Dr Levitt I did not know it was on the US Naval website."
He agreed with Mr Macleod that the magazine and other items including the Al Qaeda training manual were freely available on the internet and added: "There is no Inspire website as suh, but it the material can be posted on a variety of websites. Today if you were to do a Google search you would find them right away."
The jury also heard that Dr Levitt who describes hmself as an expert in the Middle East does not speak Arabic and has no in-depth knowledge of the Koran.
He said: "I have read the Koran a bit, but I would not say I'm an expert on it."
Badri was arrested on June 6, 2013, and his flat at Ashgrove Road, Aberdeen, was searched.
He faces a number of allegations including an accusation he was involved in conduct "with the intention of committing acts of terrorism".
The offences are said to have been carried out at two places in Aberdeen -Badri's former flat in Ashgrove Road and in Berryden Retail Park.
Badri's current address in Halifax, West Yorkshire, also features in the alleged offences.
Prosecutors claim that between 2007 and 2013 Badri collected or made a record of information likely to be useful to a person "committing or preparing an act of terrorism". This allegedly included footage of terror attacks as well as instructions on "urban assassinations" and "guerrilla tactics".
The second charge alleges that Badri "with the intention of committing acts of terrorism" engaged in various actions between 2006 and 2013.
Accusations listed in the indictment include a claim he had an "equipment list" for attending a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan.
He is also said to have possessed "advice for those involved in conducting terrorist attack planning operations".
The charge further states that he had documents, recordings and files containing "extreme ideology".
The final accusation claims that on April 16 last year Badri posted on Twitter the phrase: "Whoever feels safe from punishment, misbehaves".
The comment is said to have come from a copy of the Inspire magazine - described as being published by the "propaganda wing" of Al-Qaeda.
Badri denies all the charges against him.
The trial before judge Lord Turnbull continues.