Police hold FBI terror suspect in Essex

A man wanted in the United States has been arrested in Essex.

Zayead Hajaig fled back to Britain this month after sparking a terror alert while training at the same flight school where two September 11 hijackers were based. He caused alarm when he allegedly became aggressive with a flight instructor who refused to speed up his training.

Nigerian-born Hajaig, 35, also known as Barry John Felton, was held by antiterror police at his Essex home and will be questioned today on a charge of documents theft.

He was indicted this month by a US grand jury on three counts of living illegally in the US and being in possession of firearms. In a separate development FBI agents announced they had found a handgun allegedly belonging to Hajaig.

He was labelled a " fugitive" when he fled to Britain. It is not clear whether he could face extradition proceedings.

Hajaig wrote in an email to a friend: "All I am guilty of is overstaying my visa."

The friend said Hajaig panicked and fled the US. Hajaig started taking flying lessons at Georgia's Gwinnett County Airport-Briscoe Field in 2002.

The school's owner, Marcus Strickland, said Hajaig was a "regular student with no problems".

He added the FBI probe was caused by a flight instructor who had a vendetta against Hajaig. The instructor has since been sacked.