Burnopfield man in court on terrorism charge

Jun 9 2009 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

MEN in white suits descended on a street in a quiet town yesterday as an investigation into the threat of terrorism continued.

Specialists in protective clothing began a new search on a house in Burnopfield, near Stanley, County Durham.

The home belongs to 41-year-old Ian Davison and is the address where a jam jar of poison ricin was found after police raids last Tuesday.

Both he and his son Nicky Davison, 18, were detained on suspicion of being members of a white supremacist group.

But police yesterday charged Nicky Davison, of Grampian Way, Annfield Plain, County Durham, under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

This section relates to “the collection, making, or the possession of information which could be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.

Unemployed Davison appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday afternoon.

The court heard police found a copy of a weapons manual known as “The Poor Man’s James Bond” while searching his family home.

Prosecutor Stuart Laidlaw said the document contained information about the use and preparation of firearms, explosives and chemicals that could be useful to a terrorist.

Davison, who has blond hair shaved close to his head and wore a black T-shirt in the dock, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address during the hearing.

District Judge Nicholas Evans granted him conditional bail after an hour-long hearing, the majority of which cannot be reported for legal reasons. He adjourned the case until June 22 at the same court.