Met chief orders inquiry into terror suspect assault
By politics.co.uk staff
Metropolitan police commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has ordered an independent inquiry into why officers who arrested a terror suspect refused to give evidence in a case over his alleged abuse.
On Wednesday, the Met agreed to pay £60,000 to Babar Ahmad who was allegedly subjected to “serious gratuitous prolonged unjustified violence” and “religious abuse” after his arrest in a counter-terrorism raid.
The 34-year-old was never charged following the raid on his home in Tooting, south-west London, in December 2003 and during the hearing at the high court, his legal representatives told the court how Mr Ahmad was abused and humiliated.
A statement was released yesterday afternoon on behalf of Sir Paul, which called for an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the officers refusing to give evidence relating to the arrest in 2003.
“Whilst this arrest and subsequent events are historic this is a serious matter which has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC),” the Met statement declared.
Mr Ahmad is currently being held in prison awaiting extradition to the US on unrelated charges.
