A Counter-Productive Extradition Policy: The Effect of the Babar Ahmad Case in Radicalising Muslims in Britain

Executive Summary

23rd June 2006

In its report into the 7 July attacks, the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee concluded, “We remain concerned that…the development of the home-grown threat and the radicalisation of British citizens were not fully understood or applied to strategic thinking.”

What is this report?

A Counter-Productive Extradition Policy: The Effect of the Babar Ahmad Case in Radicalising Muslims in Britain is the result of a four-month long study into the counter-productive effects of the UK's one-sided extradition policy with the U.S. The Extradition Act 2003 Category 2 legislation allows the U.S. to demand the extradition of any British citizen, without having to provide any prima facie evidence.

Who is Babar Ahmad?

Babar Ahmad is a 32-year-old UK-born British Muslim from London, who has been detained without trial in a British prison for nearly two years, whilst he fights extradition to the U.S. under this legalisation. He sustained over 50 injuries in a brutal physical and Islamophobic assault at his home by British anti-terrorist police officers when arrested.

Findings of this report

This report has found that the British Government's handling of the case of Babar Ahmad and its lopsided extradition arrangements with the U.S. has succeeded in radicalising a new generation of British Muslims. Evidence is provided in the form of excerpts from emails, letters and weblogs; music, poetry and video inspired by this case and statements by leading figures.

Recommendations

The findings of this report suggest an urgent review into the UK's current extradition policy with the U.S., since not only ‘terror' suspects but also many British businessmen are suffering manifest injustice under this policy. The current extradition policy should be amended so as to require the U.S. to provide prima facie evidence before requesting the extradition of any British citizen. In addition, extradition should be refused if any part of the alleged offences took place in the UK – prosecution thus being a matter for the UK authorities. These amendments will bring the UK's extradition policy with the U.S. into line with that for its EU allies and dismiss suggestions that Britain has indeed become a ‘pillion passenger' in America's war on terror.