KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 ― A former postgraduate student at a public university was today acquitted and discharged by the High Court here of being in possession of 12 terrorist-related books.

Siti Noor Aishah Atam, 29, who studied Usuluddin, was seen hugging her family members who were present in the public gallery of the court, after Judicial Commissioner Datuk Mohamad Shariff Abu Samah freed her without even calling for her defence.

Mohamad Shariff made the decision after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused at the end of the prosecution case.

The prosecution called 10 witnesses during the trial.

"There is no evidence that the accused had knowledge about the books which had not been banned by the government and the Home Ministry,” said Mohamad Shariff.

The court also dismissed the application by deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P.Kunyalam to detain Siti Noor Aishah in prison as per Section 30 (1) of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 pending appeal.

The woman was accused of having in her possession 12 books on Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda (AQ) at Lot 1241, Jalan Lapangan Terbang Sura, Dungun, Terengganu at 12.25 pm on March 22.

The charge under Section 130 JB(1)(a) carries a jail sentence of not more than seven years, or fine, and forfeiture of any of the items, upon conviction.

Siti Noor Aishah was represented by lawyers Mohd Kamaruzaman A. Wahab and Zukri Jusoh. ― Bernama