Man 'flew with bullets in pocket'

A former airport security official sparked an alert when he flew into London carrying dumdum bullets in his jacket pocket, Southwark Crown Court in London was told yesterday.

Wassila Alwasila, 45, had already passed through stringent checks at Dulles airport in Washington, where he used to be a security worker. He was arrested after the bullets were spotted on a scanner at Heathrow.

Security staff initially thought they might be harmless batteries until one of them took a closer look. Louise Marshall, prosecuting, claimed the defendant's reaction was to insist: "They are only bullets." But later, when interviewed, he denied knowing they had been there.

The Sudanese national, who said he was on his way home to "mourn" his late father, pleads not guilty to three counts, possessing prohibited ammunition, carrying ammunition without a firearm's certificate and carrying the bullets without lawful authority or reasonable excuse during the flight.

The trial was adjourned until tomorrow.