A university drop-out was cleared today of downloading an al Qaida magazine for terrorism.

Hakan Ertarkan, 21, had been accused of having Inspire magazine with bomb making instructions likely to be used in terrorism.

But an Old Bailey jury found him not guilty of the Terrorism Act charge after he said he had wanted to view the group’s interpretation of Islam.

The court heard that police raided Ertarkan’s family home in Edmonton, north London, after he took part in a flag-burning demonstration outside the American embassy in London, in January, last year.

A CD under the former Metropolitan University student’s bed was found to have the al Qaida material.