Ashfaq Ahmad's Address To The Home Office Demonstration

Today I appeal to the British public to support me and my family in our struggle to prove the innocence of my son Babar Ahmed .I thank everyone for their kindness over the last week and the many messages of support. In particular our heartfelt gratitude goes out to all of you who have turned up today to demonstrate against the cruel and unjust attempt to extradite my son to America. As far as I am concerned the request comes from Bush and his gang of henchmen and not the American people, who I know would never be party to the terrifying ordeal that my family is going through. We are the latest victims of the so-called “war on terror” which in fact is a “war of terror” against innocent people who are not prepared to accept tyranny and oppression.

Each passing day brings greater pain and suffering to my family and we cannot bear to imagine the condition of our son .He was snatched from the streets of London outside his place of work in broad day light by anti terrorist police and is currently in a high security prison. This was following a severe beating –over 50 injuries –he received at the hands of the police in December.

I worked as a civil servant for 22 years –so I know that the police, like other public servants are merely following orders. They are not to blame for the huge increase of stops and searches under the terrorism legislation – the vast majority stopped and searched are Muslims .Nor do I blame the prison officers who are forced to keep the Belmarsh detainees in inhumane conditions locked up without any hope of release-slowly going out of their minds. The blame lies with this government and the ministers who have sold their souls to the Bush crusade. Together with the so called intelligence services – the ones who claimed Iraq had weapons of mass destruction – they have deliberately created a climate in which fear and suspicion run riot. Today’s Britain is one where our past peaceful co existence and multi culturalism is being torn apart – deliberately and arrogantly without a care for the future of the various communities that make up this country. This is not the country I chose to raise my family in – I do not recognize it anymore – not in the media or in what the government says or does about Muslims. There was a time when the justice system, the impartiality of our public servants and regard for the rule of law set this country apart from the rest of the world. Today we see a government bent on creating division and mischief – in particular demonizing Muslims in order to justify wars that have no support from the British public.

I invested my life in this country and gave loyal service to the crown. It seems that my lifetime’s work counts for nothing in the eyes of a government that is out of control and in the pocket of Bush – my claims of innocence on the part of my son are not worth an audience with the authorities because like my son my only crime is that I am a Muslim. As a result of what has happened to my son we have heard from many other families who up till now have suffered in silence because of the hysteria generated against Muslims by Blair and his supporters. Far too many lives are being shattered by the terrifying abuse of the terrorism legislation – homes are broken into in the dead of the night – armed police hold up old age pensioners and women and children .Law abiding citizens are smeared and lies upon lies upon lies are heaped on the unfortunate victims in the press. I too would have regarded such a statement as nonsense –had I not lived through such a nightmare in December last year –and now I have to go through even worse. Babars story is only one of thousands that have never been heard – the strategy is to demonize him in order to create fear and loathing. The victims have no voice, as they are afraid of physical attacks or do not understand the system –they are powerless and suffer in silence at the hands of a Home Secretary who relishes in savagery and a government that thrives on sensationalism and alarmist headlines. These people need an enemy to distort the truth – they are the witch hunters and Muslims are the modern day witches. All our sons are in danger –particularly from Muslims families because our belief makes us a target.

No one dares speak on our behalf - we have no champions in public life. Nevertheless I have hope – the support we have received from Muslims and non Muslims makes me believe that at long last the British public have woken up to the true nature of the vicious campaign of deceit and lies that is being waged against us all to create fear in our society. A fear that is carefully nurtured so that we suspect and despise each other and regard all Muslims as the enemy instead of our law abiding citizens and friends. The ordinary British people know that Muslims make good neighbors, active citizens in the local community and above all share the same dreams of a peaceful life with their families. It pains me to think that this simple desire is being denied to my son who wants nothing more than to return to his wife, parents and his career.

I know that I will have the support of the British people when I demand either a fair trial or Babar’s immediate release. How can anyone expect a fair hearing from a country that continues to defy the world and holds children as young as 13 and men in Guantanamo.The US Supreme court has authorized the indefinite detention of US citizens without charge – What justice can a non-US citizen expect when its own citizens are now treated in this way. That kind of justice is no justice.

Almighty God is the only protector and I pray that he protects my son from the bloodthirsty Bush regime. I call on all decent people to make it clear to this government that enough is enough! We want justice in Britain and a fair trial and not American injustice and a show trial.

My son is innocent and no amount of slander and lies will change the truth. My wife and I know our son better than anyone else. We know what he is capable of – he is a loving gentle son, a kind husband and a generous friend. I gave my life to this country and committed my children to make their home here – we did so in the expectation that justice, fairness and equality was more than a slogan but a promise to all in this country. We know that to Blair these are mere words but from today we have to stand up together and demand that not one of our people – of whatever race, religion or creed can be kidnapped, imprisoned and shipped to America or Guantanamo like a slave .We must stop this tyranny and today is the first step in that struggle.

Source: www.cageprisoners.com
15-Aug-2004