The Continuing Case of Muhammed Hamid: the last of the Hackney 14

If you’re a Muslim in Great Britain, paint-balling is considered “Acts Preparatory to Terrorism” in a Court of Law.

Muhammed and family in happier times.

Philip Brennan | PhilipBrennan.net | 2 February 2011:

Mohammed Hamid was convicted in Early 2008 under politically-motivated circumstances. He was found guilty of “soliciting to murder” under acts dating to 1861, despite never instructing anyone to any specific act. This conviction was based upon statements allegedly made by Hamid whilst under surveillance, which Hamid and others with him maintain were taken out of context. Either way, there is no evidence linking Hamid to any act of murder or solicitation to murder.

He was also convicted of “providing terrorist training”. This conviction in particular was a farce, involving muslims paintballing and camping with no other aim than to enjoy outside recreation. The BBC also filmed them playing paintball as part of a documentary on Muslims in the United Kingdom. The Metropolitan Police however, with what appears to be racist and Islamophobic motives, felt that there must have been something sinister with Muslims paintballing and camping in the woods. Statements were given by the police, of which the strongest allegation was a testimony that “they were holding sticks exactly as I have seen people in Iraq.” This was their strongest evidence, after months of surveillance, both through undercover agents and covert recording.

It is our contention that this was no more than a case of Muslims playing Cowboys and Indians, which in these “war on terror” times have meant that Mohammed Hamid and others are now serving sentences which are totally unjustified.

Hamid was given an extremely severe sentence of 7 ½ years, together with the “imprisonment for public protection.” This sentence is extremely controversial, amounting to a life sentence unless an individual can prove that he is no longer a risk to the public. As Hamid, based on the evidence, was never accused of a violent act, how would he be expected to demonstrate that he has reformed and is no longer a risk to the public if there was never any risk to begin with?

Instead, it is our fear that this sentence will be the first of many for muslims and non-muslims in the United Kingdom whom have a different world view. It amounts to nothing but internment by another name, which is an affront to general principles of law and order.

Juliet Lyon of the Prison Reform Trust also stated the following in relation to IPP Sentences :-

“…It is high time for a review of indeterminate sentences. They were designed as a technical measure to detain a small number of dangerous offenders. But badly drafted, and whipped up by the previous prime minister and home secretary, they have become a ferocious, unjust law that in two years has catapulted around 3,000 people into jail for who knows how long. This catastrophic change has been wished on the prison service without extra resources, leaving prisons under vast pressure and thousands of men held in overcrowded jails, beyond their tariff, with no means to show that they do not present a risk to the public. This is the Kafkaesque nature of modern day imprisonment…”

We therefore call on the courts to repeal Muhammed Hamid’s IPP sentence and allow him to rebuild his life.

Actions Required

Write to the Justice Minister Kenneth Clarke asking him to repeal the IPP sentence served on Mohammed Hamid.

Write to your MP expressing disgust at IPP sentences, in particular Mohammed Hamid’s case.

♦ Why were logs of evidence from the secret service lost or misplaced?
♦ Why were there over 100 photos but none of acts of terrorism but of the group mostly playing football?
♦ Why did the two police officers lie under oath and claim to be from military back grounds and have identical statements?
♦ Why in none of the transcripts are there no statements from Muhammed Hamid inciting people to “go abroad and to kill innocent people”?
♦ Why did the under cover reporter Dawwod say they “were like a bunch of boy scouts and not terrorists”?
♦ Why did an Islamic sheik the prosecution hired to give his opinion on the case state “they were not terrorists”?
♦ Why was he not in the country to give his statement? The prosecution claimed to not know of where he was.
♦ Why wasn’t all the probe’s transcripts used?
♦ Why did the trail last 6 months?
♦ Why did the jury take 5 weeks to make a decision?
♦ Where they leaned upon or given illegal counsel under “Colour of Law”?

In a public statement, Yasmin Cass, Muhammed Hamid’s daughter said:

“…My father Mohammed Hamid, a 54 year old father and dawah carrier, was sentenced in 2008 to an “IPP” (Imprisonment for Public Protection). He was singled out for his beliefs – which included challenging the government’s version of events regarding 7/7. He is a man who loves people and people love him right back. Our home has been torn apart by his absence and it is worse knowing he is an innocent man, ‘Imprisoned for Public Protection’, for the crimes of calling non-Muslims to Islam, playing paint-ball, and helping  local communities…”

Write to Mohammed Hamid:

Muhammed Hamid A8114AG
HMP Long Lartinsouth
Littleton
Evesham
Worcestershire
WR11 8TZ

♦ Quoting the Qu’ran = Hate Speech
♦ Calling to Islam = Danger to the Public
♦ Playing Paintball = Military Training
♦ Giving Talks on Islam = Hate Speech and Solicitation to Murder

Surely we, as a supposedly free people, cannot allow such an injustice to go unresolved, leaving an innocent family man languishing in jail? Where there is injustice for one man, there is injustice for all of us. Where one man can lose his freedom without a fair trial of his peers and the use of forged and manufactured evidence against him, all men can lose their freedom likewise. Remember the Birmingham Six? We swore “never again” when they were finally released, and yet, another innocent man has been fitted up and put in jail on false terrorism charges. And how dare we comment upon injustices in other countries when we won’t make sure that injustices in our own country are not first rectified.

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