DOCUMENTS owned by an illegal immigrant in Ipswich were "highly useful" to a terrorist the Old Bailey heard today. Summing up at the trial of Ipswich terror suspect Jacques Abi-Ayad, prosecuting Sean Larkin told the jury they must decide whether documents found at the defendant's flat would be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

DOCUMENTS owned by an illegal immigrant in Ipswich were "highly useful" to a terrorist the Old Bailey heard today.

Summing up at the trial of Ipswich terror suspect Jacques Abi-Ayad, prosecuting Sean Larkin told the jury they must decide whether documents found at the defendant's flat would be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

It did not matter how likely it was that they would come into the hands of a terrorist, Mr Larkin added.

He said: "I say a guide book to making explosives is something that would be highly useful to a terrorist."

The jury of eight women and four men was due to consider the verdict today.

Abi-Ayad, 40, of Gippeswyk Road is charged under the Terrorism Act with having documents likely to be useful to a terrorist.

The French National of Algerian descent denies the charge but admits possessing documents including the Anarchist's Cookbook – a guide to making explosives such as dynamite and Molotov cocktail firebombs – as well as hand written sketches and notes.

The four-day trial was due to adjourn this afternoon for the jury to come to a decision.

Abi-Ayad told the court yesterday he had only fantasised about making a firebomb and did not intend to commit terrorism.

He had fled France in 2000 after repeatedly stabbing a man who he believed had racially abused his daughter. It was claimed he arrived in the UK and sought work using forged documents and false names. The Frenchman told police he had planned to exact revenge on the man he stabbed in France with a firebomb but had later moved the documents to another address without thinking about them anymore.

He said: "Some people prefer a punchbag. I prefer to imagine how to deal with revenge on somebody."

It is alleged that on or before April 2 he had documents relating to making explosives from everyday household items.

Officers went to Abi-Ayad's flat after he produced false documents in an attempt to get a national insurance number.

Police found bomb making instructions in a shoebox owned by Abi-Ayad as well as press cuttings on terrorist groups and September 11,

The trial continues.