A 25-YEAR-OLD al-Qaida suspect will stand trial at the Old Bailey this summer over alleged terrorism offences in Syria.

At a preliminary hearing yesterday, the defendant Mohammed Yamin appeared at the Central Criminal Court via video link from Belmarsh prison.

The east Londoner spoke only to confirm his name, as Mr Justice Sweeney scheduled a two-week trial for July 15.

Mr Yamin was arrested on January 30 by officers from the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command.

He has been charged with three terror offences, including membership of al-Qaida between April 2013 and June 2014.

Other charges allege he prepared “terrorist acts,” namely the purchase of equipment and clothing; obtaining information about the routes to Syria from Britain; the purchase of a one-way flight ticket to facilitate the journey to Syria and his subsequent travel to that country.

He is also accused of possessing a gun “for a purpose connected with terrorism.”

The defendant remains remanded in custody and the case continues.