Terror plotter makes police ‘torture’ allegations

Convicted terrorist Rangzieb Ahmed

A Rochdale terror plotter, a convicted member of al-Qaeda, has made allegations against the police for perverting the course of justice.

Rangzieb Ahmed, who was jailed for life in December last year, now claims he was offered a reduction on his jail sentence if he dropped claims that he was tortured in Pakistan.

Mr. Ahmed, 33, was sentenced to life imprisonment on 19 December 2008, with a minimum term of 10 years, for directing terrorism.

He became the first al-Qaeda suspect convicted in the UK.

Chief Superintendent Tony Porter, head of the North West Counter-Terrorism Unit, said he is “confident” in the behavior of his officers.

He added: "The North West Counter Terrorism Unit does not participate in, solicit, encourage or condone the use of torture or inhumane or degrading treatment.

“For reasons both ethical and legal, their policy is not to carry out any action which they know would result in torture or inhuman or degrading treatment.

"The case of Rangzieb Ahmed has been heard in court. The judges considered the allegations of UK complicity in mistreatment and made clear that there was no evidence for this.

“These judgements are a matter of public record.

"The principle we follow are that we always seeks to act within the boundaries of the law and do not intentionally take any actions which could undermine any legal process.”

Background

Rangzieb Ahmed, 33, and Habib, 29, were caught with two diaries containing details of top Al-Qaeda operatives, described in court as a terrorist's contact book.

Fellow terrorists considered him as a ‘trusted and experiences operative’ and last year police thwarted his villainous attempts to set up a terror cell in Manchester.

During a trial, Manchester Crown Court heard how counter-terrorism officers, who were monitoring the two men, had bugged the hotel room in Dubai where they made several coded references to al-Qaeda.

They also placed a probe in the taxi of Habib, who they continued to monitor when he returned to the UK.

Rangzieb returned to Pakistan in January 2006 to continue his ambitions as an international terrorist.