Shiv Malik ordered to hand police source material for terrorism book

Freelance journalist Shiv Malik must hand over his source material for a book on terrorism to Greater Manchester Police within seven days and pay legal costs, a judicial review of the case ruled yesterday.

Three judges sitting in the high court in London narrowed the terms of the original production order granted to Greater Manchester Police to include only material emanating from terror suspect Hassan Butt, rather than all material for the book.

But the judges criticised Malik for pursuing an expensive judicial review case. Lord Justice Dyson, sitting with Mr Justice Ouseley and Mr Justice Pitchford, said: "Mr Malik, contrary to what he proclaimed to the public at large, has achieved very little from these proceedings."

Shiv Malik: had declared the ruling 'a victory for common sense' Dyson added that the original order was too wide but this could have been settled by negotiation or referring it back to the judge who issued the original order.

"Instead, Mr Malik embarked on very expensive judicial review proceedings, the real thrust of which was a frontal assault on the order itself, which was said to be wrong in principle," the judge said. "It is our view that these proceedings should never have been brought."