THE brother of a Burnley man captured fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan has been convicted of possessing a handgun.

Hussain Khan, 23, of Kent Street Burnley was convicted by jury at Burnley Crown Court after a four-day trial. He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in January.

The jury took almost six and a half hours to reach its verdict. The defendant had earlier been cleared of having a firearm and ammunition in a public place on the direction of Judge Raymond Bennett.

Khan was refused bail and remanded for a pre-sentence report. The judge, who told him he had been convicted of a serious offence, said there had been bullets in the gun's magazine and custody was inevitable.

Khan had denied both allegations against him. He has previous convictions for attempting to pervert the course of justice, possessing cannabis and being drunk and disorderly.

The jury were told that police found the gun, wrapped in a woollen hat, in the glove box of a car which the defendant had been driving in Burnley in the early hours in February. Thirty two rounds of ammunition were also discovered. The car belonged to Khan's brother Ajmal but the defendant told police the weapon had nothing to do with him or his brother.

Another of Khan's brothers, Anwar, has been held by the Northern Alliance for over two years. He was sent by his family to Pakistan to 'kick' a heroin habit. After spending only two weeks at an uncle's house it is thought he crossed the border into Afghanistan and took up an offer to fight for the Taliban in exchange for heroin.

In a radio interview given to a journalist from Afghanistan, Anwar confessed to having a fascination with guns.

There has been no suggestion that Hussain Khan has any links with the Taliban or shares his brother's beliefs..

Yesterday at the family home in Kent Street, Hasam Khan, the father of Hussain and Anwar, said he knew nothing of the incident, only that his son had been remanded in custody.

Ajmal Khan, of Colne Road, Burnley, in whose car the gun was found, said as an appeal against Hussain's conviction had been lodged, he thought it inappropriate to comment further.