Babar Ahmad is a 38 year old British Muslim and the longest detained-without-charge British detainee held as part of the global ‘war on terror’.
A chronological listing of major events related to the case of Babar Ahmad
11-Jan-2011 The High Court in London has ruled that it was unlawful for Justice Secretary Ken Clarke to refuse the BBC permission to film an interview with British Detainee Babar Ahmad in prison, paving the way for the media to be allowed camera access to a British prisoner for the first time.
9-Dec-2011 Lawyers for the BBC challenge Justice Secretary Ken Clarke’s refusal to allow the BBC to film and broadcast an interview with Babar Ahmad in prison at the High Court, being the first ever challenge to a refusal to permit a broadcaster to film an interview in prison.
5-Dec-2011 Historic debate on extradition is held in the House of Commons. The House passes the motion without a vote that ministers should change the UK-US Extradition treaty and European Arrest Warrant. The agreed motion is not binding on the government.
24-November-2011 A debate on extradition is held in Westminster Hall, despite the fact 140,936 have signed the e-petition requesting a full Commons debate on Babar Ahmad. Front benchers cannot participate and there is no vote.
22-November-2011 Sir George Young states, during a Radio 4 interview, that the decision to discuss the issue in Westminster Hall rather than the House of Commons rests with the Backbench Business Committee and its chair Natascha Engel, and not the government.
21-November-2011 100 leading barristers and solicitors have signed an open letter to the Leader of the House of Commons, Sir George Young, requesting a full parliamentary debate on the issue of putting Babar Ahmad on trial in the UK.
10-November-2011 The e-petition closes with over 140,538 signatures, making it the third highest e-petition on site.
Police Case
Babar Ahmad was first arrested at his Tooting home on 02 December 2003 by UK anti-terrorist police of 1 Unit 1 Area Territorial Support Group based at Paddington Green high-security police station. By the time he arrived in the custody suite of the police station, he had sustained at least 73 injuries, all later documented by both police and independent doctors, as well as in photographic and video evidence.
WHO IS BABAR AHMAD?
Babar Ahmad is a 38 year old British Muslim and the longest detained-without-charge British detainee held as part of the global ‘war on terror’.