Workers Revolutionary Party - RELEASE TALHAR AHSAN

The News Line: News Thursday, 27 July 2006 RELEASE TALHAR AHSAN

Part of the mass picket outside the Horseferry Road Magistrates Court yesterday

MORE than 40 people picketed Horseferry Road Magistrates’ Court yesterday to demand the release of Talha Ahsan and the repeal of the extradition treaty signed by the Blair government with the United States.

Addressing the picket, Mr Ahsan, Talha’s father, was distraught and broke down in tears.

‘I want at least to get some justice. Please help us. Talha is innocent,’ he said, as he wept for his son.

Asim Qureshi, a legal researcher, told News Line that Talha was facing the same kind of indictment as Babar Ahmad, who is also threatened with extradition under the treaty.

He said: ‘Generally, it’s to do with supporting the insurgents in Chechnya and Afghanistan.’

Qureshi said that Talha ‘has never been charged with any crime in his life before, or even picked up for any kind of crime.

‘We don’t know the precise details of how he was arrested, but we know that a request was made by the court in Connecticut for his extradition.’

The Extradition Act 2003 means America doesn’t have to make a prima facie case to the UK courts.