A serving Durham prisoner has appeared in court accused of distributing documents from the so-called Islamic State.

Denny De Silva, 31, who is currently serving at HMP Frankland, Durham allegedly disseminated two issues of the Dabiq magazine on January 22 and 23, 2021.

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It is alleged he intended the effect of his conduct to be direct or indirect encouragement or other inducement to commit prepare or instigate acts of terrorism.

He is also charged with conspiring with his sister, Rahimah De Silva, and others to convey “mobile phones and associated components” into prison between August 1 2020 and January 31 2021.

Rahimah De Silva, 24, appeared in the dock of the Old Bailey while her brother was on a video link from Frankland Prison, County Durham, for a preliminary hearing on Friday.

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The siblings spoke only to confirm their identities before Mr Justice Jeremy Baker set a timetable for their case.

A plea and trial preparation hearing will take place at the Old Bailey on July 2 with a provisional trial of up to 10 days from February 12 2024.

Rahimah De Silva, from Luton, Bedfordshire, was granted conditional bail and Denny De Silva remanded into custody.