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| Briton 'linked to core al-Qaeda' | Briton 'linked to core al-Qaeda' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| By Steve Swann BBC News Home Affairs unit Rangzieb Ahmed was arrested at Heathrow airport last year | By Steve Swann BBC News Home Affairs unit Rangzieb Ahmed was arrested at Heathrow airport last year |
| A Briton has become the first al-Qaeda suspect in the UK to be convicted of directing terrorism. Rangzieb Ahmed was a member of al-Qaeda and was a key link between British recruits and al-Qaeda leaders. But concerns have been expressed that he was tortured for months whilst in prison in Pakistan. | |
| When Ahmed travelled to Dubai in the winter of 2005 as part of an al-Qaeda active service cell, he had no idea he was being followed, nor that room 701 at the Versailles Hotel was being bugged by counter-terrorism officers. | When Ahmed travelled to Dubai in the winter of 2005 as part of an al-Qaeda active service cell, he had no idea he was being followed, nor that room 701 at the Versailles Hotel was being bugged by counter-terrorism officers. |
| Prosecutors say he had travelled there en route to South Africa on a terrorist mission which was abandoned when a senior al-Qaeda leader was killed in a US missile attack. | Prosecutors say he had travelled there en route to South Africa on a terrorist mission which was abandoned when a senior al-Qaeda leader was killed in a US missile attack. |
| When Ahmed left Dubai his luggage was secretly searched. | When Ahmed left Dubai his luggage was secretly searched. |
| Officers found notebooks with al-Qaeda contacts, some of which were written in invisible ink. | Officers found notebooks with al-Qaeda contacts, some of which were written in invisible ink. |
| A rucksack was swabbed for explosives residue and tested positive for TNT. There is no doubt that Raingzieb Ahmed was linked to core al-Qaeda Det Ch Supt Tony PorterGreater Manchester Police | A rucksack was swabbed for explosives residue and tested positive for TNT. There is no doubt that Raingzieb Ahmed was linked to core al-Qaeda Det Ch Supt Tony PorterGreater Manchester Police |
| Detectives continued to monitor Ahmed when he returned to Britain, listening in to conversations in cars. | Detectives continued to monitor Ahmed when he returned to Britain, listening in to conversations in cars. |
| Gradually this revealed his high level links to al-Qaeda leaders in South Asia and his role as a "trusted and experienced operative". | Gradually this revealed his high level links to al-Qaeda leaders in South Asia and his role as a "trusted and experienced operative". |
| In one conversation it is believed he boasted of having met Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the man who is accused of planning the 9/11 attacks and is currently facing a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay. | In one conversation it is believed he boasted of having met Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the man who is accused of planning the 9/11 attacks and is currently facing a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay. |
| Bomb-maker | Bomb-maker |
| Ahmed had also set up a terror cell in Manchester, which supported insurgents in Afghanistan but which was broken up by police last year. | Ahmed had also set up a terror cell in Manchester, which supported insurgents in Afghanistan but which was broken up by police last year. |
| Phone records established he had been in contact with one of the men who carried out a failed suicide bombing mission on the London transport system on 21 July 2005. | Phone records established he had been in contact with one of the men who carried out a failed suicide bombing mission on the London transport system on 21 July 2005. |
| Det Ch Supt Tony Porter, head of Greater Manchester Police's counter-terrorism unit, welcomed his conviction. | Det Ch Supt Tony Porter, head of Greater Manchester Police's counter-terrorism unit, welcomed his conviction. |
| Ahmed was found with a diary containing al-Qaeda contacts | Ahmed was found with a diary containing al-Qaeda contacts |
| "There is no doubt that Raingzieb Ahmed was linked to core al-Qaeda," he said. | "There is no doubt that Raingzieb Ahmed was linked to core al-Qaeda," he said. |
| "He had the personal details of the number three in that organisation, Abu Hamza Rabia, and he was also linked to the chief bomb-maker from that organisation." | "He had the personal details of the number three in that organisation, Abu Hamza Rabia, and he was also linked to the chief bomb-maker from that organisation." |
| But Ahmed's legal team say their client was tortured during eight months of detention in Pakistan's notorious Adiala Jail. | But Ahmed's legal team say their client was tortured during eight months of detention in Pakistan's notorious Adiala Jail. |
| Denied access to a lawyer, Ahmed claims he had his fingernails pulled and was beaten with sticks. | Denied access to a lawyer, Ahmed claims he had his fingernails pulled and was beaten with sticks. |
| He says a CIA officer was present during his arrest in Pakistan and that he was visited by MI5 officers during his confinement at Adiala. | He says a CIA officer was present during his arrest in Pakistan and that he was visited by MI5 officers during his confinement at Adiala. |
| Much of the evidence of Ahmed's mistreatment was heard in secret sessions at Manchester Crown Court where today the jury delivered its groundbreaking verdict. | Much of the evidence of Ahmed's mistreatment was heard in secret sessions at Manchester Crown Court where today the jury delivered its groundbreaking verdict. |