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MI5 'offered bribe to drop torture claims'
7 Jul 2009Britain's security services faced allegations of attempting to pervert the course of justice today by bribing a terror group member to drop claims that they colluded in his torture.
Rangzieb Ahmed, 33, from Rochdale, became the first person in the UK to be convicted in December of directing terrorist activities.
He claims to have been mistreated and tortured in Pakistan, where he was detained, and has accused Greater Manchester Police of colluding in this to some extent, his lawyer said.
Tayab Ali, of London law firm Irvine Thanvi Natas, said: "Mr Ahmed says a police officer and a man who described himself as a security services officer came into his cell in Manchester prison and told him he could have a reduction in his sentence or a cash payment in return for dropping the torture allegations.
"He says he told them he would think about it."
The incident is alleged to have taken place around April 26.
Mr Ali said: "I've written to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) asking them to disclose the identity of the officers who visited my client so that we can establish what happened. We've also made a request for any audio recording of that conversation.
"If what Mr Ahmed says is true, the officers would be guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice."
He said he had argued to the CPS that such actions were "grossly inappropriate."
Ahmed is appealing against his conviction as well as pursuing a case against the Government for complicity in his torture, which he says involved the extraction of his fingernails.
The Home Office said it did not comment on individual cases.
A spokesman said: "Security Service officers act within the law.
"The Government unreservedly condemns the use of torture as a matter of fundamental principle and works hard with its international partners to eradicate this abhorrent practice worldwide.
"The Security and Intelligence Agencies do not participate in, solicit, encourage or condone the use of torture or inhumane or degrading treatment. For reasons both ethical and legal, their policy is not to carry out any action which they know would result in torture or inhuman or degrading treatment."
Ahmed was jailed on December 19 at Manchester Crown Court for a minimum of 10 years after the court was told how he headed a three-man al Qaida service cell which was preparing to commit mass murder.
He was also found guilty of al Qaida membership, along with his associate, Manchester taxi driver Habib Ahmed.
The head of the North West Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), based in Manchester and operated by Greater Manchester Police, refuted Ahmed's claims of improper conduct.
Chief Superintendent Tony Porter said: "The North West CTU does not participate in, solicit, encourage or condone the use of torture or inhumane or degrading treatment."
He added: "The case of Rangzieb Ahmed has been heard in court.
"The judges considered the allegations of UK complicity in mistreatment and made clear that there was no evidence for this. These judgments are a matter of public record.
"The principles we follow are that we always seek to act within the boundaries of the law, and do not intentionally take any actions which could undermine any legal process.
"We are confident in the behaviour of our officers and we refute any allegations of impropriety."
Reader views (5)
This week the Government stands by its decision to extradite an ill UFO nerd to USA where he will probably be sent to prison for 60 years for "terrorism" offences because he hacked into defence computers and left immature slogans of protest, while an Al Quaeda terrorist suspect from Ethiopia and Guantanimo detainee who was caught in Afghanistan with false papers gets his claims of torture investigated by the police. What is wrong with the world?
- Symon, London, 01/08/2009 13:04
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LIES LIES LIES , GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY!!!!!!!! EVIL MAN.
- Sorraya, croydon, 01/08/2009 12:04
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Who cares if its true or not, hes a convicted terrorist, I just hope they pulled them out very slowly.
This person is human waste.
- P Staker, London, 01/08/2009 12:04
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Hmm.. I am a convicted Muslim terrorist with nothing to lose, so let's try it on.
"The case of Rangzieb Ahmed has been heard in court."
Even our pathetic Liberal justice system thought he was guilty!
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 01/08/2009 12:04
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Everybody is making money by hook or by crook. It is not big issue. What about MP cash expenses, B Madoff?? All are Ok. All the big guns are making money by all means.
It is good business in the name of Taliban Al Qeada, terrorist, insurgent etc. All are one target but different name just to fool the peoples.New issue is Iran China and North Korea. It is good to keep busy our self and day to day new story. AS YOU SOW SO SHALL YOU REAP.
It is amazing that every American is under debt $ 36,000???? How many B Madoff are there??
God forgive us (Amin)
- Chishty, London, 01/08/2009 12:04
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