Rochdale terrorist granted right to appeal

Convicted terrorist Rangzieb Ahmed

A Rochdale man who became the first UK citizen to be convicted for directing terrorism has won the right to an appeal.

Rangzieb Ahmed’s lawyers allege that British intelligence authorities were complicit with the torture he suffered at the hands of their Pakistani counterparts.

MI5 is said to have screened his alleged terrorist activity before allowing him to travel to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, where he was intercepted by Pakistani intelligence following an MI5 tip-off.

Greater Manchester Police and MI5 then provided a list of suggested interrogation questions for the Pakistani authorities, fully aware that torture methods may be used to extract information from Mr Ahmed.

The defendant claims that he was repeatedly beaten and his fingernails ripped out over a period of three weeks in captivity.

The 34-year-old eventually confessed and was deported to the UK and given a life sentence at Manchester Crown Court in December 2008 for being a member of Al-Qaida and directing terrorism.

Mr Ahmed’s lawyers hope to overturn the conviction, arguing that his treatment was so inhumane that he should never have faced trial.