Plea for justice from man held for eight years

A BRITISH MAN who has been in jail without trial since 2004 while fighting extradition to the US on terror charges has pleaded to be charged and tried in Britain.

Babar Ahmad, who is accused of running a US-hosted website which encouraged terrorism, said he has never been formally questioned about the allegations against him.

Ahmad, speaking on the BBC Radio 4 World at One programme following a High Court challenge by the broadcaster to secure the interview, admitted he had previously fought “battles” in Bosnia but said he believed “terrorism to be wrong”.

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He told the programme: “I am facing extradition to the United States and spending the rest of my life in solitary confinement.

“I have never been questioned about allegations against me and I have never been shown any evidence against me.”

Ahmad said that if he had been charged and tried in 2003, he would likely have been released from a British prison by now, even if he had been found guilty.

The BBC carried out its Newsnight interview at HMP Long Lartin, Evesham, Worcestshire, following a year-long battle by the BBC against the Ministry of Justice for the right to broadcast and film an interview with Babar Ahmad.

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