babar ahmad: re:the new al-qaeda

[Hafsah]

(this is referring to last weeks episode of 'the new al-qaeda'....)

Statement Regarding BBC2 documentary “The New Al-Qaeeda: Jihad.com” broadcast on Monday 25th July 2005, 9pm.
It is apparent to anyone who had the misfortune of viewing Peter Taylor's BBC2 documentary, "The New Al-Qaeda; Jihad.com"(broadcast on Monday 25th July 2005, 9pm) that the programme had only one agenda, and was extremely biased. It exploited the minds of an already vulnerable British public in the aftermath of the tragic 7/7 bombings. The whole aim of the programme was to put ahead one view and one opinion in order to prejudice the public with regards to Babar Ahmad.


If Babar has such strong links with Al-Qaeeda and terrorism, as it has been alleged in the programme, it beggars belief as to why he was not prosecuted in this country. He was arrested, fully investigated, then released without charge in December 2003. The fact remains that there was not any evidence for the British Anti-Terrorist police to charge him, let alone for the case to be tried in court. Is Peter Taylor seriously expecting the public to swallow the fact that the Anti- Terrorist branch, the elite of the police force, do not even have the intelligence to ascertain whether he should have been charged for Terrorism Provision?


It is obvious to anyone who appreciates the facts, that in Court evidence would have to be produced for a person to stand trial. These types of drama which have been broadcast on television, are not sufficient evidence for a person to be convicted in Court. In Court it is not the emotive hysteria, that the media have the power to create in order to create a smoke screen, that works. It is the core evidence of the case that is central to any conviction. This programme centred around allegations that are yet to be proven in a court of law and are yet to challenged.


The Media is able to abuse their powers as they seem fit in order to create fear in the current climate. They are acting as puppets to push forward political agendas in advance of the new legislations which the Government wish to bring into force.

We are seeking legal advice with regards to this programme and hope to release a detailed rebuttal in due course. We would like to encourage our supporters to write to the BBC via this link


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/4697723.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/4697723.stm)


and also via the official complaints’ website


http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/make_complaint_step1.shtml (http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/make_complaint_step1.shtml)


Follow the steps to make an Official Complaint stating the unfair bias this programme has shown against a man who has not been found guilty of any crime in or outside Britain, thus encouraging the notion of “guilty until proven innocent”. No doubt, inflammatory programmes such as this incite islamophobia and endanger existing peaceful community relations.


Free Babar Ahmad

Monday 25th July 2005

[Chained_Water]

I did write to their comments section following the programme but didn't get published. And looking at the comments page, it seems the BBC published nothing at all that critisized the shows portrayal of Babar. :rolleyes:

I wonder why why it's OK for Peter Taylor to spew all that crap about him.. but if you write in to defend him and bring up the facts of the case, they ignore your comments.

InshaAllah will make an official complaint.

[zaini123]

Just made an offical complaint. missed the programme but got the jest of it from the comments. Everyone seems to hate muslims much more now and it doesnt help Babar Ahmed.

[Black_Rose]

This is the response I got from the BBC after writing in to their comments page, they did not publish my comments but sent me this email instead.

This is a general response to viewers of jihad.com who complained about the programme as a whole or specific parts of it.

The majority of emails were favourable and the show scored an 80% approval rating according to the BBC's own monitoring. However some viewers felt the programme was inflammatory and or unfair to Babar Ahmad. An extremely efficient publicity campaign has managed to create the impression that no evidence has been put forward against Ahmad. In fact there is an extremely long and detailed affidavid outlining the allegations against him. The programme was clear that it attributed the allegations against Ahmad to the American prosecutors and did not state them as fact. In addition the team did were able to research the case in more detail with police and intelligence officers in the UK, Pakistan and the US. UK law allows airing of allegations in extradition cases as they cannot prejudice a future jury.

Much of the support for Ahmad has arisen from the assault he suffered on arrest which we clearly reflected and the fact that he will be tried (subject to the Home Secretary's approval) in the US and not here which again we dealt with by showing demonstrations outside court and including clips from his family and solicitor (MUDDASSAR No. If he was a terrorist he would have been charged in this country and the evidence would have been adduced in this country.) While this may appear unfair the US prosecutors point out that Azzam.com which they allege Ahmad ran was hosted in the US and that his alleged support for the Taliban contravened US laws brought in by President Clinton. As we pointed out the whole question of how to prosecute alleged crimes committed via the internet is complex and unresolved.

The issues of fast track extradition and the impact of the prosecution of Babar Ahmad abroad was dealt with sympathetically and at length in a documentary entitled My Son the Terror Suspect on BBC2 earlier in the year. The purpose of this film was to investigate the specific phenomenon of the internet as a tool for violent jihad.

The programme did not claim that Ahmad was part of al-Qaeda but that the site he is alleged to have ran foreshadowed the "new al-qaeda's" use of the net as a tool of terrorism.

Neither the family nor solicitor of Babar Ahmad has been prepared to discuss any allegation against him in successive interviews on Newsnight, Five Live and elsewhere and weren't willing or able to counter the charges in any meaningful way when invited to do so by myself and my assistant producer.

We reject any suggestion that we acted as "puppets to push forward political agendas". Any careful viewing of all three films in these series would appreciate that civil liberties issues including rendition torture and free speech were well aired and that the final word in Jihad.com was given to a US former CIA officer who stated that terrorism would not end until the US took the measure of its enemy and changed its foreign policy. Likewise the programme and the Panorama London Under Attack which included material from the series made explicit the link between terror and the war in Iraq - not a welcome message for the authorities.


Sandy Smith

[EducateMe]

As a none-religious, secular, white Britain I would like some help in understanding what, I regret to say, is the ‘other-side’ of a public discourse in our nation. This thread, which I chanced upon whilst researching the wider Jihad online issue, may serve as a good opportunity to engage in such a debate. Please be patient with me and not see my comments as a focus of anger, but as a genuine reflection of what, I hope, is the considered yet undeniably (perhaps inescapably) emotive position of many British people.



I have viewed the free Baber Ahmed web pages and am naturally concerned for the rights of a potentially innocent man. Further the shooting of Jean Charles DeMenezes, the frequent reports of torture from Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere along with a warmongering and inflammatory stance from political leaders in the west obviously make a widespread anger and feeling of injustice amongst Muslims easy to understand.



However, what can we say about those who are involved in the active promotion of an ideology which glorifies the murder of innocent men women and children? What this has to do with Islam I do not know, and I’m sure many of you don’t either. But how are we as a nation to deal with this threat, a threat which is clearly based upon a bedrock of ideas and images traded and displayed via the internet.



The BBC for some time now have shown worrying signs of sensationalism and, believe me, I view many of their programmes with some scepticism. This does not change the fact that men of education, thoughtfulness and standing in their communities ARE actively and tacitly supporting breeding grounds of hateful ideology. Shouldn’t Muslims be as enraged as I am by this evil as they are by the undeniable evil of the many injustices perpetrated by the US and its allies?



If this anger exists, where is it to be found? Not on this forum it would seem, and not in many other ‘Islamic’ web sources. Doesn’t every British Muslim owe it to their country and to humanity to both speak out against injustice against Muslims but too also stand up, vocally and visibly, against the perverted and evil doctrine of radical fundamentalists? Are these people a tiny minority, yes, do they represent Islam, no, is the British media reactionary and emotive, of course; BUT does any of this absolve the Muslim community from its responsibility, surely not.



So, and in keeping with my screen name, I would greatly appreciate it if one or more amongst you would be so kind as to direct me to the “root out Jihad” web page, or a web forum with lively debates on how to tackle extremism, how to oppose its ideology and how to prevent disengaged youngsters from being taken in by it? Anything in fact, from a UK Muslim perspective, which vocalizes an anger and resolve to action following the horrific murder’s on 7/7.



If you have as much trouble finding such resources and such debates as I have, then we all have a problem. I fear that as long as the perception exits that most Muslims, however moderate, are more concerned with voicing anger against Blair, Bush and the rest than they are with the evil next-door then a widening gulf in our society can only worsen. In the words of the late great George Orwell, “all it takes for evil to flourish, if for good men to say nothing”. Any thoughts would be greatly apprecitated.