What About Babar, Johnson?

7:31 pm, Fri 8 Jun 2012

Time is running out for Babar Ahmad. A verdict on 10 April 2012, by the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Ahmed can be extradited for trial in the US, as his human rights would not be violated. Babar has less than three months to appeal.

What we want to know is, what is our newly re-elected mayor of London, Boris Johnson, planning to do about this grave injustice?

Previously Boris Johnson has described the extradition law as “grotesque” and has said that, “We need to bring to an end this brutal and absurd law.”

More recently, at a hustings prior to the elections, the issue of the extradition law with reference to Babar Ahmad was raised. Boris Johnson said:

“There needs to be a full review of the 2003 act because it is patently lopsided…in the case of Babar Ahmad if there was a crime committed it was committed in this country…there is absolutely no reason why this gentlemen should not be produced before the courts [UK courts] arraigned and asked to answer to whatever his crimes are. Why on earth we are sending him to America I have absolutely no idea.”

Fatima Manji asked both Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone:

“What would you specifically do as Mayor of London to bring about that [extradition law] change?”

To which Boris replied:

“I have lobbied for a review for the arrangements that have affected not just Mr Ahmad but several other UK citizens.”

Fatima then continued to say:

“So I think we have a specific commitment from both of you to lobby on that issue,” to which Ken replied “Yes – lobby hard - both of us,” and Johnson nodded in agreement.

So with all this rhetoric on Babar Ahmed and the “grotesque” extradition law, is Johnson going to stick to his word and lobby for a review of the case? So far we haven’t heard him even mention Babar Ahmad since he returned to office. If he doesn’t want a reputation as a Mayor that “talks but doesn’t walk”, then he better keep to his word and he better keep to it quick, as time for Babar Ahmed, is indeed running out.