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U.S. Waives Death Penalty to Get Terror Suspect

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Trials
Posted on Tue May 17, 2005 at 01:27:26 PM EST
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The U.S. agreed to waive the death penalty for accused terrorist Babar Ahmad if Britain would extradite him. Today, a British Court agreed he could be extradited, and Ahmad will become the first terror suspect to be extradited under its 2003 terror law, if he does not win an appeal. The law does not allow the suspect to challenge evidence presented by the US government.

Today, senior district judge Timothy Workman, sitting at Bow Street magistrates' court, in central London, said he accepted assurances by the US authorities that they would not seek the death penalty. He said he also accepted assurances that the US would not declare Mr Ahmad an "enemy combatant" - a category applied to prisoners at the US naval base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, where detainees have questionable legal rights.

Ahmad is charged in a Connecticut Indictment with:

  • Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, namely the Taliban, the Chechen mujahideen, and related groups
  • Providing material support to terrorists
  • Conspiring to kill persons in a foreign country
  • Money laundering

The Guardian describes his crime as:

... running websites inciting murder and urging Muslims to fight a holy war.

That carries life in prison, now. Unless you cooperate with the Department of Justice. Then, like James Ujaama, you can get a two year sentence.

Babar sued the British Government for police brutality after his arrest in 2003 (he was home sleeping with his wife at the time, here are the pictures of what he looked like after.) Acccording to this timeline, Britain later released him finding insufficient evidence of any crime. The U.S. then moved for his arrest so it could extradite him. He's been held in prison since August, 2004. Some news articles on Babar are accumulated here.

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    U.S. Waives Death Penalty to Get Terror Suspect | 2 comments (2 topical)
    Re: U.S. Waives Death Penalty to Get Terror Suspec (none / 0) (#1)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:09 PM EST
    Penal institution, is without a-doubt the best place for the terror guys, if the people did the crime? and that is the real question who is doing who and why?

    Re: U.S. Waives Death Penalty to Get Terror Suspec (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:11 PM EST
    I read an article the other day which claimed that of 43 applications for extradition under the new law, only 22 were for terrorism related offences.

    U.S. Waives Death Penalty to Get Terror Suspect | 2 comments (2 topical)