click here to view reply from IPCC to allegations of Police Torture and brutality

We, the family of Babar Ahmad, reject outright and condemn the decision of the Independent Police Complaint’s Commission (IPCC) to formally discipline one of the several Anti-Terrorist Branch Police Officers who caused life-threatening injuries to Babar whilst in their custody on 02 December 2003. We further question the timing of this decision, more than a year after the assault, and a week prior to BBC2’s documentary on Babar’s case on 26th January 2005. We feel that this is a cynical ploy to create a scapegoat out of one officer to spare the superiors from blame.

Our faith in the British Justice System is such that we always expected a “cover-up” from the outset, but we did not expect the IPCC, Crown Prosecution Service and members of the medical profession to be part of it. This is the fourth time that the authorities have changed their version of events of what happened to Babar on that day. First they declared in court that Babar’s injuries were old injuries. Then they said that “some” of the injuries were old. Then they said that Babar kicked, punched and violently resisted arrest. Now they are saying that the injuries were not old and some of the officers used excessive force. They have also claimed that the officers acted as such because they believed Babar to be a highly dangerous terrorist who trained in Al-Qaida camps.

This latest decision leaves a number of questions unanswered;
1) If Babar violently resisted arrest and attacked police officers, why was he not charged with assaulting police?
2) Where is the medical evidence of any injuries sustained by the police officers?
3) If only one police officer assaulted Babar, why did the others stand there and watch?
4) Why did 3 independent eyewitnesses (neighbours) inform the investigation that they did not witness any struggle?
5) Why has Babar not been charged with making false allegations against members of the police?
6) If Babar was a highly dangerous Al-Qaida terrorist, why was he released without charge in December 2003?
7) Why did the IPCC ignore the opinion of Dr Manolis Gavalas, an independent medico-legal expert who examined Babar?

We would like all of the officers concerned to be charged and prosecuted, not just disciplined with a slap on the wrist. We are considering taking further action and we seek an urgent independent public inquiry into this matter.

Family of Babar Ahmad

www.freebabarahmad.com
freebabarahmad@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: 07963537779