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POLICE RAIDS AND DETENTIONS WITHOUT CHARGE
CONTRIBUTE TO THE RADICALISATION OF BRITISH MUSLIMS (22/06/06)
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The recent
arrest of the two men following a police raid on a house in Forest Gate, whereby
one of them was shot in the chest, has continued to raise questions about the radicalisation
of young Muslims.
This week, a report is being released which shows that the Government has
contributed significantly to radicalising a new generation of British Muslims.
2000 copies of the reports have been sent to all Members of Parliament and Lords,
leading academics, international embassies and many other institutions throughout the UK.
The report, "A Counter-Productive Extradition Policy: The effect of the
Babar Ahmad Case in Radicalising Muslims in Britain" is the result
of a 4-month study on the continued detention without charge of British-born
Muslim, Babar Ahmad, who is the subject of an extradition request by the
United States.
Evidence is provided from emails, letters, weblogs, music, poetry, audio
and video excerpts. This report concludes, "The fury, bitterness and ominous threats
heaped on the British government.... leave no doubt that British Muslims are being
pushed towards extremism by the government's failure to listen to their pleas and
their blind persistence with an unjust and dangerous extradition policy.” The
report includes a foreword by Sadiq Khan, the Labour MP for Tooting and the
constituency MP for Babar Ahmad's family. Babar Ahmad's case has also received
high profile attention and support from many organisations and individuals including
Liberty, Muslim Council of Britan and Islamic Human Rights Commission. Shami Chakrabati
from Liberty has stated, " Our extradition arrangements with the US allow UK citizens to be picked
up and hauled across the Atlantic like sacks of potatoes. British Muslims are not
alone in their disgust at such injustice. They are however, likely to be among the
worst victims of it."
The report, "A Counter-Productive Extradition Policy: The effect of the
Babar Ahmad Case in Radicalising Muslims in Britain” , will be available
online from www.freebabarahmad.com on
Friday 23 rd June 2006. For further information or an exclusive preview
of the report, please contact info@freebabarahmad.com or
telephone 07963537779.
BACKGROUND NOTES
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Babar Ahmad is a British-born Muslim who has been detained at a high security prison
since August 2004 following an extradition request by the United States under the
Extradition Act 2003 on terror-related charges. Babar Ahmad has not been charged
with any offence in the UK. Under this Act, the US may not present any evidence in
order to seek extradition. The reverse is not true, so the UK must present evidence
of wrongdoing to the US before any extradition of a US citizen is sought.
On 10 May 2006, an amendment to the Act to allow extradition only if (a) evidence
of wrongdoing was presented and (b) no part of the alleged offence took place in
the UK, was defeated in the House of Commons by 293 votes to 224.
Babar Ahmad's appeal against extradition is due to be heard at the High Court on
11 July 2006.
"A Counter-Productive Extradition Policy: The effect of the Babar Ahmad Case in Radicalising
Muslims in Britain" has been written by Khalida Yusuf M.A of the University of London
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