Cardiff man appears in court after terror raids

A man from Cardiff has appeared in court after a series of co-ordinated raids by the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command.

Daud Ali, 40, is one of three men who have been charged with conspiracy following raids at four properties in Cardiff, Coventry and London on Tuesday.

They were arrested under the terrorism act as part of an investigation into the illegal exportation of khat to the US and Canada where it is a controlled substance.

Married father-of-six Daud Ali from St Mellons, who runs a taxi firm which has contracts with several schools, was also charged with possession of a fake Norwegian passport.

The three defendants spoke only to confirm their names, dates of birth and addresses when they were brought before Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London.

They sat with arms folded during the hour-long hearing where Ali and Nursharif were remanded in custody.

Wall was granted bail subject to restrictions.

Officers were investigating a network suspected of funding terrorism. All three were held under the terrorism act and questioned by detectives before being jointly charged with conspiracy for allegedly mislabelling parcels which were being exported out of the UK.

The three suspects were among seven people arrested by the Met's counter-terrorism command during a pre-planned, intelligence-led operation earlier this week.

The remaining four suspects - a woman aged 45 and three men aged 47, 45 and 42 - continue to be held under the terrorism act, Scotland Yard said.

Homeland Security Investigations in America and officers from the UK's counter terrorism network, the UK Border Agency and local forces were also involved in the operation.