Syed Fahad Hashmi
Encyclopedia
Syed Mehmood Ahmed Hashmi (born 1980) is a Pakistani American
and US Citizen. He was arrested in London
, England
on June 6, 2006 based on an indictment from the United States
charging him with providing material support
to Al-Qaeda
. On 27 April, Hashmi pleaded guilty to a single terrorism charge in Federal District Court in Manhattan. He was subsequently sentenced to 15 years in prison.
, Pakistan
in 1980. Upon birth he was also given the name Fahad and that is how most people know him. He emigrated with his family to the United States when he was three years old. His family settled in Flushing, New York where he was raised and attended school.
He graduated from Robert F Wagner High School in 1998 and then attended SUNY Stony Brook. He eventually transferred to Brooklyn College
, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2003. A devout Muslim
, through the years he established a reputation as an activist. In 2003 he enrolled at London Metropolitan University
in England to pursue a master's degree in International relations
which he received in 2006.
based on an indictment from an American federal grand jury. The charges were of conspiring to send money and military gear to al Qaeda associates who lived in Pakistan. The charge is not that he actually provided military gear to al Qaeda, but that he allowed an acquaintance, Junaid Babar
, to stay in his apartment for two weeks, and that this acquaintance brought military gear with him in a suitcase and later gave the gear to al Qaida. In addition, Hashmi's lawyer found out that the items being labeled as "military gear" were socks and rainproof ponchos.
Weirdly, his arrest is based on the testimony of the man he is accused of aiding and abetting, Junaid Babar
, who turned informant in a successful attempt to get a reduction in his own 70-year prison sentence. Again, Junaid had stayed for a short while in Hashmi's apartment in London, bringing "military gear" in a suitcase.
He was housed as a Category A, high security, prisoner at HM Prison Belmarsh
while fighting extradition to the United States. In March 2007, the High Court of England and Wales
ruled against him. He was then extradited to the United States in May 2007 and arraigned before District Judge Loretta A. Preska.
Since he was extradited to the United States, he has been held in solitary confinement
in pre-trial detention in the Special Housing Unit at Metropolitan Correction Center
in Manhattan
. By April 2010 he had been held in isolation for nearly three years whilst awaiting trial. Prolonged isolation is considered a form of torture
by the United Nations
; medical testimony presented in Hashmi's case concluded that after 60 days' solitary detention people's mental state begins to break down and gradually develops into psychosis
as the mind disintegrates.
Pakistani American
A Pakistani American is any citizen or resident of the United States who has Pakistani heritage.- History in the United States :Muslim immigrants from areas that are now part of Pakistan have been migrating to America and first entered the United States as early as the eighteenth century, working...
and US Citizen. He was arrested in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on June 6, 2006 based on an indictment from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
charging him with providing material support
Providing material support for terrorism
Providing material support for terrorism is a provision of the USA PATRIOT Act which prohibits material support to groups designated as terrorists. The four types of support described are “training,” “expert advice or assistance,” “service,” and “personnel.” In June 2010 the United States Supreme...
to 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...
. On 27 April, Hashmi pleaded guilty to a single terrorism charge in Federal District Court in Manhattan. He was subsequently sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Early life and education
Hashmi was born in KarachiKarachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1980. Upon birth he was also given the name Fahad and that is how most people know him. He emigrated with his family to the United States when he was three years old. His family settled in Flushing, New York where he was raised and attended school.
He graduated from Robert F Wagner High School in 1998 and then attended SUNY Stony Brook. He eventually transferred to Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2003. A devout Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, through the years he established a reputation as an activist. In 2003 he enrolled at London Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University , located in London, England, was formed on 1 August 2002 by the amalgamation of the University of North London and the London Guildhall University . The University has campuses in the City of London and in the London Borough of Islington.The University operates its...
in England to pursue a master's degree in International relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
which he received in 2006.
Arrest and terrorism charges
On June 6, 2006 he was arrested at Heathrow AirportLondon Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
based on an indictment from an American federal grand jury. The charges were of conspiring to send money and military gear to al Qaeda associates who lived in Pakistan. The charge is not that he actually provided military gear to al Qaeda, but that he allowed an acquaintance, Junaid Babar
Mohammed Junaid Babar
Mohammed Junaid Babar is a Pakistani American who, after pleading guilty to terrorist related offences in New York, testified in March 2006 against a group of men accused of plotting 21 July 2005 London bombings...
, to stay in his apartment for two weeks, and that this acquaintance brought military gear with him in a suitcase and later gave the gear to al Qaida. In addition, Hashmi's lawyer found out that the items being labeled as "military gear" were socks and rainproof ponchos.
Weirdly, his arrest is based on the testimony of the man he is accused of aiding and abetting, Junaid Babar
Mohammed Junaid Babar
Mohammed Junaid Babar is a Pakistani American who, after pleading guilty to terrorist related offences in New York, testified in March 2006 against a group of men accused of plotting 21 July 2005 London bombings...
, who turned informant in a successful attempt to get a reduction in his own 70-year prison sentence. Again, Junaid had stayed for a short while in Hashmi's apartment in London, bringing "military gear" in a suitcase.
He was housed as a Category A, high security, prisoner at HM Prison Belmarsh
Belmarsh (HM Prison)
HM Prison Belmarsh is a Category A men's prison, located in the Thamesmead area of the London Borough of Greenwich, in south-east London, England. Belmarsh Prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service...
while fighting extradition to the United States. In March 2007, the High Court of England and Wales
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
ruled against him. He was then extradited to the United States in May 2007 and arraigned before District Judge Loretta A. Preska.
Since he was extradited to the United States, he has been held in solitary confinement
Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, though often with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner, and has been cited as an additional...
in pre-trial detention in the Special Housing Unit at Metropolitan Correction Center
Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York City
The Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York City is a Federal Bureau of Prisons remand center in downtown Manhattan in New York City, located on Park Row behind the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse at Foley Square....
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. By April 2010 he had been held in isolation for nearly three years whilst awaiting trial. Prolonged isolation is considered a form of torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
; medical testimony presented in Hashmi's case concluded that after 60 days' solitary detention people's mental state begins to break down and gradually develops into psychosis
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
as the mind disintegrates.