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London: An aide to the British commander of NATO troops in Afghanistan was sent Wednesday for trial at London's central criminal court, accused of passing secrets to “the enemy” — believed to be Iran. Corporal Daniel James, an interpreter to Lieutenant General David Richards, proclaimed his innocence even as he was ordered to face the Old Bailey charged under the Official Secrets Act with “prejudicing the safety of the state”.
“He's innocent of the charge against him,” said the soldier's solicitor David Martin outside court.
“He's looking forward to presenting his case in court and answering the allegation made and clearing his name, as he's absolutely confident he will do,” he added.
The 44-year-old first appeared before magistrates last week, but returned to court Wednesday — and judge Timothy Workman set January 12 for a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey, England's best-known criminal court.
The charge alleges that on November 2 this year, he “communicated to another person information calculated to be, or that might be, or intended to be directly or indirectly useful to the enemy.”
James' boss Richards is head of NATO's more than 30,000-strong International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. As he was led away from the dock, James said: “Not guilty. This is the way the army has repaid me.”
Judge Workman told the court the bail application had been refused and told reporters details of what was said during the hearing but omitted details which might have posed a security risk to the country.
James, who lives in the southern English resort town of Brighton, is of Iranian descent and speaks fluent Pashtun, one of the main languages in Afghanistan, according to The Daily Telegraph newspaper.
At last Wednesday's initial case the judge ordered reporters out for much of the proceedings because of possible prejudice to national security, and remanded him in custody over the Christmas break.
According to The Guardian newspaper, the court ruled that there was a substantial risk of further “communications” between James and “a foreign power”, and he might be “extracted” from British jurisdiction if granted bail.
The soldier's solicitor voiced his client's anger Wednesday at the charges against him.
“He served with the British army for almost 20 years in any way that he has been called to do so, irrespective of religious or political considerations and he's been proud to do so,” said Martin.
“He's distressed by the false allegation apparently being made by the very people he served so loyally,” he said.
The court case comes as British-led forces struggle against fiercer than expected Taliban insurgents in the south of Afghanistan, invaded by US-led forces following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States.
The charges also come amid heightening tension between the West and Iran over the Islamic republic's nuclear plans.
