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17 May 2005
Press Release

British Muslims Deplore Decision to Extradite Babar Ahmad to United States

The Muslim Council of Britain deplores in the strongest terms today's decision to uphold the US extradition request against the British national, Babar Ahmad.

“This is a very sad day for all who value fairness and justice. It is unacceptable that under the Extradition Treaty 2003 there is no longer any need for the US government to prove to a UK court or even to the Home Secretary that there is a prima facie case against British citizens. Instead the US can now simply order that British citizens be plucked from our streets and thrown into US jails by making serious – and wholly unproven - allegations against them. If our government has any evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Babar Ahmad then he should be charged in this country and put on trial here. We call on the Home Secretary to renegotiate the Extradition Treaty 2003, so that it better protects our citizens from this manifest injustice. This draconian treaty has reduced the judiciary in the UK to a rubber stamping instrument in reference to allegations that do not require to be proved before it. This is a clear violation of all civilised norms of justice,” said Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain.

[Ends]

Notes to Editors:

1.   The Muslim Council of Britain ( www.mcb.org.uk ) is the UK 's representative Muslim umbrella body with over 400 affiliated national, regional and local organisations, mosques, charities and schools.