Terrorist who alleged torture loses appeal

A convicted terrorist who claimed that British security forces had been complicit in his torture in Pakistan has had his appeal rejected.

Rangzieb Ahmed, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, was jailed for a minimum of 10 years in 2008 for being a member of an al-Qa'ida terrorist cell planning mass murder. He claimed in an appeal hearing last year that he should not have been put on trial. Ahmed claimed that he had three fingernails pulled off during his interrogation abroad, as well as being beaten and deprived of sleep.

Lord Justice Hughes ruled that the jury's decision was safe because an inquiry by the trial judge had ruled "that torture had not been demonstrated to have occurred, and had been demonstrated not to have occurred before the sole occasion when Rangzieb said he had been seen by British officers". He said no evidence had been found that UK security forces had assisted or encouraged unlawful detainment or torture, adding: "Even if there had been torture whilst Rangzieb was in Pakistan, it had no bearing on the trial."

Chief Superintendent Tony Porter, head of the North West Counter-Terrorism Unit, said he was pleased that the court had exonerated his force of carrying out torture or inhuman or degrading treatment.