Terror suspect speaks out on alleged police beating
A terror suspect has for the first time described the night he was arrested when police allegedly subjected him to a violent beating, reports Home Affairs Correspondent Simon Israel from court.
Babar Ahmad, now 37, told a jury at Southwark Crown Court how he was punched repeatedly in the head when officers raided his home in south London in December 2003.
Officers from the Anti-Terrorist Branch forced their way into his house at 5am to arrest Mr Ahmad, who was in asleep in bed at the time. He was allegedly beaten up and mocked by four officers from the Territorial Support Group who were assisting the raid.
PC Roderick James-Bowen, Mark Jones, Nigel Cowley, and John Donohue all deny assaulting Mr Ahmad and causing actual bodily harm.
Alleged assault
Mr Ahmad told the court he was then wrestled to the floor and repeatedly punched and sworn at. He said one officer pulled his genitals, and at one point he said an officer hauled him up to his feet using the handcuffs.
“The metal of the cuffs sliced my arms. It was like a flame. I screamed. It was extremely painful,” he told the court.
He said he did not struggle during the attack which he said caused him “complete confusion and shock”.
“At no point did I struggle or make it difficult for them. At no point did I say anything to them other than: Can you stop hitting me? I didn’t make it hard for them or provoke them whatsoever,” he said.
Mr Ahmad was arrested in the raid, on suspicion of leading a small group providing finance and logistical support to al-Qaeda. He was never charged but has spent the last six years in prison fighting extradition to the US on terror charges.
All four officers deny a charge of assault. The case continues.