A top Bradford prosecutor was suspended after she "joked" about being a friend of Osama Bin Laden in the wake of September 11, a hearing was told.

Halima Aziz, Crown Prosecutor and part of Bingley Youth Team, allegedly made a comment to a security guard as she turned up for duty at Bradford Magistrates on September 25, 2001.

An Employment Tribunal sitting in Leeds heard how her remark sparked an alleged fracas between white and Asian youths near the security gate of the court.

Giving evidence at the tribunal, Mrs Aziz, 43, of Manningham, who is claiming racial and sexual discrimination against her employer, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said she was shocked by her treatment after the incident.

"Upon entering the building, one of the security officers said: 'Here comes a security risk' or 'You are a security risk'," she told the hearing.

"I jokingly replied something to the effect of: 'Oh yes, as if I am a friend of Bin Laden'."

A short time later, a colleague asked if she agreed with what had happened on September 11, and she said her comments were a joke. "It has been suggested I said it was all the fault of Jews or Israelis, but I didn't say that."

She said she may have commented that the Arabs' dislike for America could have stemmed from its support of Israel.

On October 10 she was suspended for gross misconduct. She was told to clear her desk and leave the building because a formal investigation was to be carried out into her remarks.

Mrs Aziz said: "I was totally humiliated and was crying uncontrollably. I was being watched by the whole office yet I was forbidden from saying anything to anybody.

"I don't believe they would have suspended a male Asian or a white person of either sex."

A week later, Mrs Aziz was asked to work at the Wakefield office.

She has not been back to work as following the incident she suffered depression.

Her barrister Declan O'Dempsey told the hearing there was no video evidence of a disturbance sparked by the remarks.

He described it as banter between officials at court and said Mrs Aziz had a right to free expression.

The CPS is contesting the case.

The three-day hearing continues.