| Fred, you got any camo or chemicals? Just, you know, asking. |
A terror suspect facing extradition to the US bought 100 camouflage suits and tried to buy large amounts of chemicals, a court has been told. A US government lawyer set out evidence at Bow Street Magistrates' Court, after hearings to decide whether to extradite Babar Ahmad, 30, of south London. Ahmad is accused of trying to raise funds for terrorism via websites and emails. The US has accused Mr Ahmad of trying to raise money for terrorism in Chechnya and Afghanistan. America also claims he had plans for a US Navy battle group in the Gulf, including comments on how ships were vulnerable to attack.
James Lewis QC, acting for the US government, said Mr Ahmad ran a website - Azzam.com - that encouraged terrorist acts. The site said it was a religious obligation for all Muslims who could not fight to donate money to jihad, Mr Lewis said. He also told the court that Mr Ahmad had e-mail links to a Chechen rebel leader who planned the 2002 Moscow theatre siege, in which 129 hostages died. It was claimed another e-mail found in the Azzam account was from an individual who said he was serving in the Middle East with the US Navy, but which expressed hatred towards the US and support for terrorism. Mr Lewis also alleged that from mid-1997 to early 1998 Mr Ahmad had attempted to buy up to 5,000 tons of sulphur phosphate. There was also evidence the suspect had made a "miscellaneous" shipment to Pakistan, the court was told. Mr Lewis alleged that Mr Ahmad, on a trip to the US in 1999, had bought 100 cold weather camouflage suits and shipped them back to himself in the UK.
Mr Ahmad, a 30-year-old IT administrator of Tooting, south London, was arrested in August. He had previously been arrested under anti-terrorism laws in December 2003 but released without charge. Edward Fitzgerald QC, defending, said there were concerns over whether Mr Ahmad would get a fair trial in the US. Mr Fitzgerald told the court a report would be prepared which "looked into evidence in relation to the treatment of Islamic defendants charged with terrorism offences in the US as respects their trial and subsequent detention". The hearing was adjourned until 16 December, when the report is due to be served on the government and the court. |