Rabbani Charged under terrorism act

[KyliesChild 16,907]

The director of campaign group Cage has been charged under the Terrorism Act.

Muhammad Rabbani, 36, was arrested after refusing to disclose his laptop password to police while detained at Heathrow Airporton November 20.

He was charged with willfully obstructing or seeking frustrate an examination or search after attending Bethnal Green police station on .

Mr Rabbani said he would fight the allegation, adding: "I am innocent of these charges that have serious implications for journalists, lawyers and human rights."

Cage, which describes itself as an "independent advocacy organisation working to empower communities impacted by the war on terror", said Mr Rabbani refused to provide the password for a laptop he was carrying as he landed at Heathrow.

It said the computer contained evidence provided by a torture survivor the group was working on behalf of and claimed its director had "taken a principled stance to protect the right to privacy in an ongoing case... that implicates high ranking officials". 

Cage has campaigned against what it describes as "intrusive" use of section 7 of the Terrorism Act, under which Mr Rabbani was been charged.

A statement on the group's website said he had been detained under section 7 more than 20 times.

Mr Rabbani, who lives in Bethnal Green, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 20.

 

[weed 79,356]

So his only "crime" is not giving the password? 

[venusfly 17,885]

1 hour ago, neptugne said:

So his only "crime" is not giving the password? 

Yes, if the police have a warrant to search your phone contents and you refuse it is a crime. It's the same as destroying evidence.

[weed 79,356]

5 minutes ago, LG said:

Yes, if the police have a warrant to search your phone contents and you refuse it is a crime. It's the same as destroying evidence.

Why was he detained in the first place? Like what are their grounds for wanting to go on his laptop?

[calmar 22,824]

2 minutes ago, neptugne said:

Why was he detained in the first place? Like what are their grounds for wanting to go on his laptop?

"Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 is a breathtakingly broad and intrusive power to stop, search and hold individuals at ports, airports and international rail stations. It can be exercised without the need for any grounds of suspecting the person has any involvement in terrorism – or any other criminal activity. This means it can be used against anyone a police, immigration or customs officer chooses. Powers like this are ripe for overuse and abuse. They are invariably used in discriminatory fashion, with stops based on stereotype rather than genuine suspicion."

EDIT: So basically "random" selection of passengers at Heathrow for further screening, I'm guessing

[venusfly 17,885]

4 minutes ago, neptugne said:

Why was he detained in the first place? Like what are their grounds for wanting to go on his laptop?

He is a director of CAGE, a group that describes its aims to help those who have been "impacted by counter-terrorism laws". The group has been criticised as apologising for terrorism as it campaigns regularly to free prisoners held on counter terrorism laws.

CAGE has been caught multiple times to be in contact with well-known terrorists but has not been found to be taking part in terrorism itself.

He was stopped at an airport to examine his electronics for terrorism-related material and he refused access to the electronics so he was detained.