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Two in UK court on terror charges

LEICESTER, England (CNN) -- Two Algerians accused of being members of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network have appeared in a UK court under tight security.

Baghdad Meziane, 36, and Brahim Benmerzouga, 30, are charged with membership of the group, which has been blamed for the September 11 suicide attacks on the United States.

The two men, who appeared in court in Leicester, in central England, are the first people charged in Britain with membership of al Qaeda, which is outlawed under the UK Terrorism Act 2000.

The pair did not enter pleas to the charges and face their next court appearance on June 12.

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Security was tight for the appearance of the two men, who arrived at the court in a police convoy.

Dozens of police officers in body armour stood at the courthouse entrance and everyone entering the building was searched.

Judge Richard Pollard rejected an application from prosecutors that the two men be brought into court wearing handcuffs.

Alastair Lyon, defending, told Pollard that the police officer in charge of the case did not feel handcuffs were necessary and that the security arrangements in the court building were sufficient.

Meziane was charged with directing terrorism, inciting terrorism overseas, membership of the al Qaeda network, and conspiracy to support terrorism by raising funds.

Benmerzouga was charged with al Qaeda membership, conspiring to raise money to fund terrorism, and possession of racist videos and a solar-powered battery which could be used to power explosive devices or make satellite telephone calls.

Speaking through a French interpreter, the two men only spoke to confirm their names. There was no application for bail and the pair were remanded in custody.

Mezaine and Benmerzouga were detained on September 26 when British police apprehended French-Algerian Kamel Daoudi. Daoudi is now in a French prison for his role in an alleged plot to bomb the U.S. Embassy in Paris.

A further 17 people were detained in Leicester and London last week when Mezaine and Benmerzouga were charged. Four of them are now on bail pending charges of fraud, one women has been released and 12 are now in the hands of Immigration officials.