Syed Talha Ahsan is a British poet and translator. He is winner of the Platinum and Bronze Koestler Awards 2012 for his poetry.Poetry prize for Talha Ahsan | Institute of Race Relations He won the Koestler Award for his poem "Grieving". He is also the translator of a tenth-century Arabic poem, "Above the Dust", by Syrian Abu Firas al-Hamdani, on his captivity in Byzantium.The impossible injustice of Talha Ahsan's extradition and detention
He was arrested at his family home in London, UK on 19 July 2006 in response to a request from the United States under the US–UK Extradition Act 2003, and detained without trial or charge over 6 years before his extradition to the United States on 5 October 2012. He spent another two years in detention in the US. He was accused of associations with an allegedly terrorism-related Islamic news media website and London-based publishing house from 1997 to 2004 about Bosnia, the Chechen Independence War and Afghanistan Islamic Emirate government. Noam Chomsky described the charges against Ahsan as shallow and evasive.
On 10 December 2013, in U.S. District Court in New Haven, Connecticut he entered into a plea bargain with the US Government prosecutor to charges of conspiracy to provide and providing material support for militants in Chechnya and Afghanistan. All other charges were dismissed.Still no justice as Babar Ahmad and Talha Ahsan change pleasBabar Ahmad and Talha Ahsan in plea bargain He returned to the UK, a free man, in August 2014. The length of Talha's detention without trial or charge is among the longest in British legal history.
The Talha Ahsan extradition case raised controversy due to comparison with the treatment of Gary McKinnon, whose extradition – which was expected to be 10 days after Ahsan's – was stalled after a medical diagnosis of Asperger syndrome and associative risks, similar to a diagnosis given to Ahsan. This has led to accusations from mainstream UK media, human rights NGOs and religious groups of a racist double standard within Conservative Home Secretary Theresa May's application of the law.JUST West Yorkshire. "Letter to Theresa May Regarding Double Standards of Extradition Rules" SACC "May Shows Contempt For Human Rights, Justice And Muslims". 16 October 2012MCB "Muslim Council delighted for McKinnon and his family. Why double standard for Babar Ahmad & Talha Ahsan?" 17 October 2012IHRC "Gary McKinnon stays in the UK but Muslims are second class citizens". 16 October 2012"Being Faithful Citizens". EMEL Magazine, Issue 98 November 2012Jerome Taylor (17 October 2012). "Why do politicians, celebrities and the media flock to Gary McKinnon's cause but stay silent about the likes of Talha Ahsan from Tooting?" The Independent.Sadiq Khan (12 October 2013). "Extradite – Out of Mind". Huffington Post, 12 October 2013."Theresa May Shows Her True Islamophobic Colours". MPACUK, 17 October 2012
After being detained without trial for six years, with appeals to the European Court of Human Rights, the House of Lords and the UK High Court, Ahsan was extradited from the UK to the US on 5 October 2012, where he initially pleaded not guilty to all charges against him at a federal district court hearing in New Haven, Connecticut. He was held while awaiting trial in solitary confinement at the Northern Correctional Institution, a Supermax state prison in Somers, Connecticut, United States."CT Inmate Information" His US trial proceedings began in October 2013. On 10 December 2013, he changed his plea to guilty to the charge of providing material support to terrorists. Connecticut chief judge, Janet C Hall sentenced him to time served and he returned to the UK in August 2014. In her judgment, Janet Hall, challenged the official narrative on his and Ahmad's cases.
When sentencing Ahsan (and Ahmad) on 16 July 2014, federal district Judge Janet Hall ruled that "nothing was done with the information" found in Ahmad's possession so, "the battle group document, besides showing that the Navy enlisted man was a traitor to his country, it also shows that Mr. Ahmad and Mr. Ahsan had absolutely no interest in operational terrorist actions that would harm the United States."
An international campaign led by Talha's brother Hamja Ahsan was formed to halt his extradition to the US and have him tried in the UK on the basis that this is where he was present during the period of the allegation. This was supported by a wide coalition of figures including Noam Chomsky, Robert Hillary King (Angola Three), A. L. Kennedy, Stop the War, Bruce Kent, Plaid Cymru, his MP and Labour cabinet member Sadiq Khan, Caroline Lucas MP, Gerry Conlon, the Muslim Council of Britain, actor Riz Ahmed, and former extradited Britons David Bermingham and Gary Mulgrew of the NatWest Three. The family-run campaign continues around issues of solitary confinement and reforming extradition law, with the aim of repatriating Talha to the UK. The campaign also curates events around prison literature, especially poetry.
The Free Talha Ahsan family campaign was short-listed for a Liberty Human Rights Award in 2013, described as a "creative and innovative campaign" and in its use of art, poetry, film and music to bring the issue of summary extradition to wider public and political attention described as "inspiring".
Case background Ahsan was a co-defendant with another British citizen Babar Ahmad, in a high-profile case at the European Court of Human Rights, appealing their extraditions to the US. They are accused by the US of terrorism-related offences arising from alleged involvement with a series of websites from the period of 1997 to 2004. One of the sites was for a short period located on a server within the United States.Kermani, Secunder "Terror suspect Talha Ahsan's family fear US extradition", "BBC", London 8 April 2012 retrieved on 15 May 2012Razzell, Nick "Battle ends with Hamza heading for US prison", "The Independent", London 15 May 2012 retrieved on 15 May 2012 As a result of a UK parliamentary petition raising over 140,000 signatures the case sparked a discussion in the House of Commons among Members of Parliament late in 2011.Brittain, Victoria "The terror of Babar Ahmad","The Guardian", 2 Dec 2011, retrieved 16 May 2012
In a BBC interview aired on 5 April 2012 Evan Kohlmann an American internet extremism consultant, said of the websites to which the men were allegedly linked that "Even today there are very few websites out there that have the credibility that Azzam publications still has now."Casciani, Dominic "The battle to prosecute Babar Ahmad", BBC News, 5 April 2012, retrieved 30 May 2012 Kohlmann has been critically described as a ‘self-made’ Kohlmann has been critically described as a ‘self-made’ and a phony. His involvement in anti-Muslim networks has called into question his credibility on such issues, particularly after the Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik, who was responsible for killing 77 young Norwegians in an attack fueled by anti-Muslim hatred, cited 25 pages from Kohlmann.
On 10 April 2012, the European Court of Human Rights published its landmark ruling that both men could be extradited from Britain to the US to face terrorism charges. They had three months from that date to request a referral to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights.European Court of Human Rights. "Case of Babar Ahmad and others versus the United Kingdom". Strasbourg – via BAILII. Retrieved 25 May 2012 Syed Talha Ahsan denied any wrongdoing and asked to be tried in the United Kingdom."The official campaign site for Syed Talha Ahsan", London, accessed 31 May 2012
He was extradited to the US in October 2012 alongside Ahmad and others who were wanted for different unrelated offences. The extradition was highly controversial and the then Home Secretary Theresa May came under heavy criticism both when the men were extradited and shortly afterwards when the extradition request from the US for Gary McKinnon was refused.
Biography
Early life and education Syed Talha Ahsan was born in London in 1979. He was educated at Dulwich College in Dulwich, London, England, United Kingdom.Abu Hamza extradition to US 'is lawful' – Channel 4 News Syed Talha Ahsan has a first class honours degree in Arabic from SOAS University of London.
Following his arrest, he was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (a form of autism).McKinnon and Ahsan: a tale of two extraditions – Channel 4 News
Prior to detention At the time of his arrest, Syed Talha Ahsan intended to become a librarian. Since his arrest he has been held in the UK in high security prisons without charge or trial and refused bail for over five years. While being incarcerated he continues to write highly praised poetry.Kennedy, AL "Solitary confinement is no place for a poet","The Guardian", London, 9 May 2012, retrieved 16 May 2012
Early in 2006, the Metropolitan Police Service searched his family home under a warrant issued under the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 and the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. In July 2006, he was arrested in the UK under a provisional warrant and extradition proceedings commenced under the Extradition Act 2003.United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut "British citizen charged with providing material support of terrorism", Connecticut, 19 July 2006 retrieved 16 May 2012Kouri, Jim "Muslim charged in US for conspiracy to aid terrorists", "RenewAmerica", 20 July 2006, Retrieved 16 May 2012
Hearings in the UK to determine his suitability for extradition began in November 2006. On 14 June 2007 the UK Secretary of State ordered Syed Talha Ahsan's extradition.England and Wales High Court "Judgement on Syed Talha Ahsan", London, 10 April 2008, retrieved 16 May 2012 Consequently, an appeal was lodged by him to the UK High Court. It was refused on 10 April 2008. After his appeal to the House of Lords was rejected in May 2009 he then appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. On 10 April 2012 the European Court approved his extradition and from that date he had 3 months in which to appeal the ruling to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights.Burns, John F & Lowell, A. "European Court says Britain can send terror suspects to the US", "The New York Times", New York, 10 April 2012, retrieved 15 May 2012
US indictment The US indictment against Syed Talha Ahsan was lodged on 28 June 2006.The United States District Court "Grand Jury Indictment of Syed Talha Ahasan", District of Connecticut, 28 June 2006, retrieved 16 May 2012 In sum, it alleged that between 1997 and 2004 he, together with Babar Ahmad and other persons known and unknown: (i) conspired to provide material support to terrorists, knowing or intending that such support was to be used in furtherance of a conspiracy to kill, kidnap maim or injure persons or damage property in a foreign country and or to murder and attempt to murder US nationals abroad; (ii) provided and aided and abetted others to provide material support to terrorists, knowing or intending that such support would be used in furtherance of a conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim or injure persons or damage property in a foreign country and or attempt to murder US nationals abroad; and (iii) conspired to kill, kidnap maim or injure persons or damage property in a foreign country. The US indictment goes on to allege that one of the means used by the co-conspirators to further the alleged criminal acts was an entity known as Azzam Publications, through which they operated a series of pro-jihad websites based in the United States that were specifically designed to incite readers to violent jihad and to provide material support to terrorist related entities including the Taliban, the Chechen Mujahideen and Al Qaeda.
US extradition request