Bullet charge traveller in court

A plane passenger was sent for trial today accused of carrying bullets on a flight from Washington to London.

Wassila Alhibr Alwasila, 45, who was arrested at Heathrow Airport two months ago, faces three charges.

The first accuses him of possessing prohibited ammunition on the January 14 - a .357 calibre magnum cartridge and a .44 Remington magnum cartridge.

The second allegation, which claims he had ammunition on him without a firearm certificate, details three further rounds.

They are a nine millimetre short calibre cartridge, a similar sized Parabellum cartridge, and a 9.38 calibre special cartridge.

The third charge put to him maintains he had them without lawful authority or reasonable excuse on Virgin Atlantic flight V22 and that they were "made or adapted for use for causing injury to, or incapacitating a person, or for destroying or damaging property".

The Sudanese national, who was attending a 25 minute plea and direction hearing at London's Southwark Crown Court, spoke through an Arabic interpreter to plead not guilty to each count.

The defendant, wearing a navy blue T-shirt, grey and white check shirt and beige trousers, was told his three-day trial would start on April 14.

Judge James Wadsworth QC said he would have to remain in custody in the meantime.

Alwasila was detained at Heathrow's Terminal 3 after flying from Washington's Dulles Airport, and had been due to take a connecting flight to Dubai with a different airline.