Full Transcript of Ashfaq Ahmad 3rd Press Statement (10/09/04)

Today is a sad day not only for me but for the British legal system because my son continues to be put through an ordeal that is unwarranted and unjustified. He returns to a high security prison to be subjected to daily humiliation because of allegations made by the corrupt authorities seeking to justify a war that has no support from the British people. Like their sons my son too is a victim of the tragic times that we live in - he is innocent and has done nothing wrong. I have only made one simple demand and that is that he should be tried as a citizen of this country under British law by a British jury. Is that too much to demand - wouldn't any law abiding citizen who has given 22 years loyal service as a civil servant expect this. My son will never get a fair trial in the US. The US government has manipulated the media with half truths and lies which seek to demonise my son - I had expected fairness, integrity and objectivity at least with the British press even if I can no longer get that from the government.

I learnt yesterday that the Crown Prosecution Service has decided that the police officers who caused the brutal injuries suffered by my son, when he was arrested and released without charge in December last year, are not to be the subject of a prosecution. As many of you know my son was brutally beaten up although he did not resist arrest, his house doors were kicked down at dawn and he was viciously dragged away in front of his wife. An independent consultant medical report verified that he suffered 50 separate injuries and 2 of them were potentially life threatening. I now have to bear the immense pain of knowing that the so called police officers who tarnished the reputation of the British Police will escape criminal prosecution. My son could have died. I would never have thought that this was possible - however I am living this nightmare and am horrified by what is happening. This case has outraged the Muslim community at large and challenged our integrity. It seems that all obstacles to the extradition of my son are being removed even though the case against him is so fanciful that no one dares bring a case against him in this country as they know the courts would throw it out. However the same authority that is responsible for his imprisonment has decided that no one is responsible for a brutal attack that could have led to his death.

I can promise you today that we will not give up the fight for Babar. We are not prepared to allow this injustice and denial of civil liberties to continue. My son was innocent in December and that's why he was released - he is innocent now and that's why he is being shipped off to America where we all know he will never get a fair hearing. He is entitled to justice in Britain and not American injustice.