Rangzieb Ahmed
Encyclopedia
Rangzieb Ahmed is a British Citizen who was allegedly the highest ranking Al-Qaeda
operative in the United Kingdom
. Ahmed, who was a key link between British recruits and al-Qaeda leaders, was responsible for setting up a terrorist cell in Manchester
, and had contacts with one of the terrorists responsible for the failed 21 July 2005 London bombings
.
Ahmed was born in Rochdale
, Greater Manchester
, but moved to Pakistani Kashmir
at the age of 7 or 8. At the age of 18, Ahmed was arrested by Indian forces after allegedly fighting as part of the group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen
. Ahmed received money in jail from Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh
, the extremist who later murdered Daniel Pearl
. Ahmed was held in an Indian jail for seven years without charge, and during this time was allegedly tortured. Ahmed was released in 2001 and visited Britain briefly before returning to Pakistan. He visited Britain again in 2005.
In 2005 surveillance by British intelligence revealed a diary in Ahmed's luggage containing Al-Qaeda contacts, some in invisible ink
, including personal details of Abu Hamza Rabia
(Abu Hamza was later killed in Pakistan, on 30 November 2005, during a US/Pakistani joint operation). Traces of explosives were also found on his rucksack.
He was initially held in a secret Pakistani prison system, wherein he alleges he was tortured alongside Hassan Ghul
.
Ahmed was arrested at Heathrow airport in 2007 after arriving on a flight from Pakistan and charged with "directing the activities of an organisation which was concerned in the commission of acts of terrorism", "possessing three books containing information which would be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism" and "possession of a rucksack containing traces of explosive, in circumstances which suggested it was for a purpose connected with terrorism".
In December 2008, Ahmed was convicted in the UK of "directing the activities of an organisation which was concerned in the commission of acts of terrorism". This made him the first member of Al-Qaeda
to be convicted of directing terrorism in the U.K. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and should serve a minimum of 10 years before he is considered for parole. .
On 7 July 2009, MP David Davis
accused the UK government of outsourcing torture, by allowing Ahmed to leave the country (even though they had evidence against him upon which he was later convicted) to Pakistan, where it is said the Inter-Services Intelligence
was given the go ahead by the British intelligence agencies to torture Ahmed. Davis further accused the government of trying to gag Ahmed, stopping him coming forward with his accusations, after he had been imprisoned back in the UK. He said, there was "an alleged request to drop his allegations of torture: if he did that, they could get his sentence cut and possibly give him some money. If this request to drop the torture case is true, it is frankly monstrous. It would at the very least be a criminal misuse of the powers and funds under the Government's Contest strategy, and at worst a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice."http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090707/debtext/90707-0020.htm
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
operative in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Ahmed, who was a key link between British recruits and al-Qaeda leaders, was responsible for setting up a terrorist cell in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, and had contacts with one of the terrorists responsible for the failed 21 July 2005 London bombings
21 July 2005 London bombings
On 21 July 2005, four attempted bomb attacks disrupted part of London's public transport system two weeks after the 7 July 2005 London bombings. The explosions occurred around midday at Shepherd's Bush, Warren Street and Oval stations on London Underground, and on a bus in Shoreditch...
.
Ahmed was born in Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, but moved to Pakistani Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
at the age of 7 or 8. At the age of 18, Ahmed was arrested by Indian forces after allegedly fighting as part of the group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen
Harkat-ul-Mujahideen
Harkat-ul-Mujahideen- al-Islami is a Pakistan-based Islamic militant group operating primarily in Kashmir. In 1997, the United States designated Harakat al-Ansar a foreign terrorist organization for links to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, and in response the organization changed its name to...
. Ahmed received money in jail from Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh
Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh
Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh is a British-born militant of Pakistani descent with links to various Islamist militant organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammed, al-Qaeda, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and the Taliban.He was arrested and served time in prison for...
, the extremist who later murdered Daniel Pearl
Daniel Pearl
Daniel Pearl was an American journalist who was kidnapped and killed by Al-Qaeda.At the time of his kidnapping, Pearl served as the South Asia Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal, and was based in Mumbai, India. He went to Pakistan as part of an investigation into the alleged links between...
. Ahmed was held in an Indian jail for seven years without charge, and during this time was allegedly tortured. Ahmed was released in 2001 and visited Britain briefly before returning to Pakistan. He visited Britain again in 2005.
In 2005 surveillance by British intelligence revealed a diary in Ahmed's luggage containing Al-Qaeda contacts, some in invisible ink
Invisible ink
Invisible ink, also known as security ink, is a substance used for writing, which is invisible either on application or soon thereafter, and which later on can be made visible by some means. Invisible ink is one form of steganography, and it has been used in espionage...
, including personal details of Abu Hamza Rabia
Abu Hamza Rabia
Abu Hamza Rabia was an Egyptian member of al-Qaeda, described in news accounts as a high-ranking leader within the organization's hierarchy. His death, in a surprise drone attack, was widely reported by media outlets around the world.According to American intelligence officials, Rabia was...
(Abu Hamza was later killed in Pakistan, on 30 November 2005, during a US/Pakistani joint operation). Traces of explosives were also found on his rucksack.
He was initially held in a secret Pakistani prison system, wherein he alleges he was tortured alongside Hassan Ghul
Hassan Ghul
Allegedly an al-Qaeda agent, Hassan Ghul has also been identified as a member of Ansar al-Islam. His nationality has been reported as Yemeni, Pakistani or Egyptian....
.
Ahmed was arrested at Heathrow airport in 2007 after arriving on a flight from Pakistan and charged with "directing the activities of an organisation which was concerned in the commission of acts of terrorism", "possessing three books containing information which would be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism" and "possession of a rucksack containing traces of explosive, in circumstances which suggested it was for a purpose connected with terrorism".
In December 2008, Ahmed was convicted in the UK of "directing the activities of an organisation which was concerned in the commission of acts of terrorism". This made him the first member of Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
to be convicted of directing terrorism in the U.K. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and should serve a minimum of 10 years before he is considered for parole. .
On 7 July 2009, MP David Davis
David Davis (British politician)
David Michael Davis is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Haltemprice and Howden...
accused the UK government of outsourcing torture, by allowing Ahmed to leave the country (even though they had evidence against him upon which he was later convicted) to Pakistan, where it is said the Inter-Services Intelligence
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
was given the go ahead by the British intelligence agencies to torture Ahmed. Davis further accused the government of trying to gag Ahmed, stopping him coming forward with his accusations, after he had been imprisoned back in the UK. He said, there was "an alleged request to drop his allegations of torture: if he did that, they could get his sentence cut and possibly give him some money. If this request to drop the torture case is true, it is frankly monstrous. It would at the very least be a criminal misuse of the powers and funds under the Government's Contest strategy, and at worst a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice."http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090707/debtext/90707-0020.htm