U.K. Orders Extradition of Terrorism Suspect to U.S.

Bloomberg
Nov. 16, 2005

Nov. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The U.K. government ordered the extradition of Babar Ahmad, a British man accused of raising money for the Taliban, to the U.S. to face trial on terrorism charges.

Ahmad was arrested in London in August 2004 on charges of conspiring to kill or injure persons in a foreign country, providing support to terrorists and money laundering. U.S. prosecutors claim he used the Internet to raise money for Islamic fighters in Afghanistan and Chechnya between 1998 and 2003.

U.K. Home Secretary Charles Clarke, who is responsible for reviewing extradition requests under British law, approved Ahmad's extradition on the grounds that ``the conditions for his extradition have been met,'' the government said in an e-mailed statement today.

Clarke's decision follows a May ruling by a U.K. magistrates' court that there were no legal barriers to Ahmad's extradition.

Ahmad intends to appeal the decision to the High Court in London, according to a statement posted by his family on the Web site http://www.freebabarahmad.com .

``Our resolve remains firm in the fight for justice for Babar,'' the statement says. ``If the floodgates for extradition are allowed to be opened, it will be British Muslims that will be targeted; the very people the British Government was hoping to win support from in the fight against terrorism.''

Ahmad's lawyers have contested his extradition on the grounds that he may face the death penalty in the U.S., or be transferred to a military jurisdiction, such as the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They have also argued he could be subjected to ``special administrative measures,'' including torture or solitary confinement, which could result in death or serious injury.

Under U.K. law, Ahmad can appeal both Clarke's decision and the lower court ruling authorizing his extradition to the High Court.