Syed Fahad Hashmi

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Arrest and terrorism charges

On June 6, 2006 he was arrested at Heathrow Airport based on an indictment from an American federal grand jury. The charges were of conspiring to send money and military gear to al Qaeda associates who lived in Pakistan. The charge is not that he actually provided military gear to al Qaeda, but that he allowed an acquaintance, Junaid Babar, to stay in his apartment for two weeks, and that this acquaintance brought military gear with him in a suitcase and later gave the gear to al Qaida. In addition, Hashmi's lawyer found out that the items being labeled as "military gear" were socks and rainproof ponchos. His arrest is based on the testimony of the man he is accused of aiding and abetting, Junaid Babar, who turned informant in a successful attempt to get a reduction in his own 70-year prison sentence. Again, Junaid had stayed for a short while in Hashmi's apartment in London, bringing "military gear" in a suitcase.

He was housed as a Category A, high security, prisoner at HM Prison Belmarsh while fighting extradition to the United States. In March 2007, the High Court of England and Wales ruled against him. He was then extradited to the United States in May 2007 and arraigned before District Judge Loretta A. Preska.

Since he was extradited to the United States, he has been held in solitary confinement in pre-trial detention in the Special Housing Unit at Metropolitan Correction Center in Manhattan. By April 2010 he had been held in isolation for nearly three years whilst awaiting trial. Prolonged isolation is considered a form of torture by the United Nations; medical testimony presented in Hashmi's case concluded that after 60 days' solitary detention people's mental state begins to break down and gradually develops into psychosis as the mind disintegrates

Guilty plea

On 27 April 2010 Hashmi pleaded guilty to a single terrorism charge in Federal District Court in Manhattan. He was asked by Judge Loretta A. Preska whether he was pleading “because you are in fact guilty?” to which Hashmi replied, “Alhamdulillah, yes.” Attorneys on both sides recommended a maximum prison term of 15 years. After the hearing one of Hahsmi’s lawyers, David Ruhnke said that “(Hashmi) made the best deal that was available under the circumstances,” adding that “He stepped up and accepted responsibility. The government wanted to lock him up for the rest of his life. They will not succeed in that goal.