A BRITISH law student accused of targeting former prime minister Tony Blair is facing a retrial after the jury was discharged in the UK's first secret terror trial.

Erol Incedal, 26, was charged with preparing an act of terrorism with others abroad, either against individuals or a "Mumbai-style" attack, as well as possessing a bomb-making document on a memory card. He denied the offences.

After three and a half weeks of evidence and five days' deliberations, the seven women and five men of the Old Bailey jury were discharged yesterday morning by Mr Justice Nicol.

Prosecutor Richard Whittam QC told the court that the Crown would seek a retrial on a date to be fixed, probably in the New Year.

The jury had been deliberating its verdicts for 23 hours and 35 minutes.

Most of the trial was heard behind closed doors, at times with accredited journalists present but unable to report on proceedings, but mainly completely in secret.