August 30, 2008	Saturday	Sha'aban 27, 1429

LONDON, Aug 29: A man accused of threatening to “eliminate” Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former prime minister Tony Blair and encouraging others to join the organisation in a posting on a jihadi website was remanded into custody on Friday.

Ishaq Kanmi, 22, suspected to be a member of Al Qaeda, appeared before City of Westminster Magistrates Court in London along with two other men.

He is also accused of spreading terrorist literature along with co-defendant Abbas Iqbal, 23, presumably a Briton of Pakistani origin. Iqbal is also charged with owning terrorist material, including camouflage equipment.

Kanmi and Iqbal were remanded in custody to appear before the Old Bailey on October 1. Iqbal’s brother Ilyas, 21, appeared accused of possessing terrorist material and conducting research into terror.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges and was remanded in custody to appear before the court on September 19 for committal.

The suspects have been in custody since their arrests at Manchester airport and in Accrington on August 14.

The threats, published in January this year, were purportedly from a group calling itself Al Qaeda in Britain, which demanded withdrawal of British forces from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The court refused the three defendants bail after a 15-minute hearing.

Two other men are still being questioned in connection with the investigation. A 29-year-old believed to be from eastern Europe was arrested in Derby on Wednesday for alleged offences under the Terrorism Act 2000 and police officers have also searched an address in the city.