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FREE BABAR AHMAD
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5 October 2012
*PRESS RELEASE: Statement of Babar Ahmad on Extradition Ruling*
Babar Ahmad today stated:
"Today I have lost my 8 year and 2 month battle against extradition to the
US. I would like to thank all those over the years who supported me and my
family: lawyers, politicians, journalists and members of the public from all
walks of life.”
“By exposing the fallacy of the UK’s extradition arrangements with the US, I
leave with my head held high having won the moral victory."
Ashfaq Ahmad, father of Babar Ahmad, stated:
“After over 40 years of paying taxes in this country, I am appalled that the
system has let me down in a manner more befitting of a third world country
than one of the world’s oldest democracies.”
“It seems that the Metropolitan police, the CPS and even the Court have all
colluded to implement a pre-determined decision which was made in
Washington.”
“We will never abandon our struggle for justice and the truth will eventually
emerge of what will be forever remembered as a shameful chapter in the
history of Britain.”
For further information, visit
www.freebabarahmad.com <http://
www.freebabarahmad.com/> or telephone 07585355581. You can also visit the official Facebook
page
https://www.facebook.com/FreeBabarAhmad or follow @freebabarahmad on Twitter
*Notes to Editors:*
1. Babar Ahmad has been detained without trial since 5 August 2004
following an extradition request from the US. A complete timeline of Babar
Ahmad’s case from the moment he was arrested on 2 December 2003 can be
viewed at
http://www.freebabarahmad.com/the-story/timeline .
2. On 24 September 2012, the European Court of Human Rights rejected
Babar Ahmad’s request for appeal against extradition to be referred to the
Grand Chamber, ruling that there would be no violation of his rights if he
were to be extradited to the United States.
3. On 5 October 2012, the High Court refused Babar Ahmad’s application for
permission to judicially review the Director of Public Prosecution’s decision
not to prosecute him in the UK.
4. The DPP made his initial decision not to prosecute Babar Ahmad in July
2004 stating that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him in the UK.
On 22 November 2011, the Crown Prosecution Service admitted for the first
time that it had never actually reviewed the bulk of the material seized from
Babar Ahmad’s home, it having been withheld from the CPS and transferred
by the Metropolitan police to their American counterparts.
5. In March 2012 and June 2012, detailed representations were made to the
DPP in relation to the case to prosecute Babar Ahmad in the UK in light of
the developing prosecutorial policy of the DPP, supported by reference to
the material that the police had sent to the US. On 7 September 2012, British
businessman Karl Watkin sought the DPP’s permission to privately
prosecute Babar Ahmad in the UK and submitted a bundle of evidence to the
DPP including signed statements by Babar Ahmad of his involvement with
the websites in question.
6. On 1 October 2012, the DPP refused to give permission to Mr Watkin to
prosecute Babar Ahmad and further stated that on reviewing the material
submitted in March 2012 and June 2012, there remained “insufficient
evidence” to sustain a realistic prospect of conviction to warrant
prosecution.
7. In 2005, District Judge Timothy Workman, then the most senior extradition
judge in the UK, said about Babar Ahmad's case. "This is a difficult and
troubling case. The defendant is a British Citizen who is alleged to have
committed offences which if the evidence were available, could have been
prosecuted in this country."
8. A full parliamentary debate on urgently reforming British extradition laws
took place on 5 December 2011 with the motion being passed without a vote.
The debate came as a result of an e-petition to put Babar Ahmad on trial in
the UK securing almost 150,000 signatures within 3 months. The e-petition
can be viewed at
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/885 .
9. On 22 June 2011, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights
explicitly raised concerns over Babar Ahmad's case in its report in 'The
Human Rights Implications of U.K extradition policy' and recommended that
the government urgently re-negotiate the UK- US extradition of individuals in
Babar Ahmad's position.
10. During his arrest in London in 2003, Babar Ahmad sustained over 73
injuries. In March 2009, the Metropolitan Police admitted carrying out this
abuse and paid him 60,000 compensation. Four police officers later stood
trial over this attack but were found not guilty.
