Nottingham Indymedia: 'rizwaan_sabir'

Police fabricated evidence against terror suspect

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 21:06:29 +0000

Rizwaan Sabir, a former University of Nottingham student who was wrongfully arrested under the Terrorism Act, has now found that police "made up" key evidence against him. An internal report by the West Midlands police also stated that interviews with witnesses in the case were “incorrectly recorded” although no officers will face disciplinary action. Sabir has labelled counter-terror operations as “deeply politicised policing” and says that the new evidence begs the question “how many people have been charged as terrorists on the basis of falsified evidence?”

Newswire: Interview with Rizwaan Sabir | Police made up evidence against terror suspect

Previous features: Anger Over "Terror Arrests" at Nottingham University | Hundreds Join Demo for Academic Freedom and Against Deportation | New light shed on the Nottingham Two | Censorship at University of Nottingham | Support grows for Uni of Nottingham whistleblower

Interview with Rizwaan Sabir

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 08:01:18 +0000

On Sunday 15th July, the Observer revealed that West Midlands police officers had "made up" evidence against a University of Nottingham student in 2008. Rizwaan Sabir was wrongfully accused of "collecting information of a kind to provide practical assistance to a person committing an act of terrorism" after coming into possession of a document for his PhD proposal. An internal West Midlands police report has now concluded that investigating detectives fabricated key evidence in the case against him. Nottingham Indymedia (NI) contacted Rizwaan (RS) to ask him for further comments about the latest revelations in his case.

Police made up evidence against terror suspect

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 11:12:47 +0000

An investigation into the West Midlands counter-terrorism unit which arrested Nottingham student, Rizwaan Sabir, in 2008, has concluded that officers "made up" evidence against him.

Support grows for Uni of Nottingham whistleblower

Sun, 15 May 2011 08:50:59 +0000

There has been growing anger at the University of Nottingham’s attempts to silence Dr Rod Thornton, author of a critical article which exposes the complicity of university management in the wrongful arrests of the ‘Nottingham Two’. A student and a member of staff – Rizwaan Sabir and Hicham Yezza – were arrested as suspected terrorists in May 2008. On Tuesday 10th May, a letter calling for Thornton’s immediate reinstatement, signed by 70 leading academics and scholars from across the world, including Professors Noam Chomsky, Neera Chandhoke, Paul Gilroy and Charles Tripp, was published in the Guardian. On Thursday 12th May, a protest was held on campus.

On the newswire: Nttm 3! Dr.Thornton, Rizwaan Sabir & Hitcham Yezza | Call to reinstate Rod Thornton | The paper Nottingham Uni doesn’t want you to read

Previous features Censorship at University of Nottingham | New light shed on the Nottingham Two | Campaign Victories As Hich And Amdani Are Released On Bail | Hundreds Join Demo for Academic Freedom and Against Deportation | Nottingham Uni Detainee Innocent But Still Facing Deportation | Anger Over “Terror Arrests” at Nottingham University

Censorship at University of Nottingham

Sat, 07 May 2011 16:37:58 +0000

Last week, an article entitled, ‘Radicalisation at universities or radicalisation by universities?’ by University of Nottingham academic Rod Thornton was published, shedding more light on the case of the “Nottingham Two”. This article has now been removed from the website of the British International Studies Association (BISA) allegedly under pressure from the University, who have also now suspended Dr Thornton.

Upcoming Event: Protest calling for the reinstatement of the whistleblower and a public inquiry, Hallward Library, University Park, Thursday May 12th, 12pm

On the newswire: University whistleblower suspended | ‘Al-Qaeda Arrest’ Whistleblower Silenced

Previous features: New light shed on the Nottingham Two | Campaign Victories As Hich And Amdani Are Released On Bail | Hundreds Join Demo for Academic Freedom and Against Deportation | Nottingham Uni Detainee Innocent But Still Facing Deportation | Anger Over “Terror Arrests” at Nottingham University

Article: Executive summary | Full article

'Al-Qaeda Arrest' Whistleblower Silenced

Wed, 04 May 2011 08:59:03 +0000

The website of the British International Studies Association [1] has removed a whistle-blowing article written by Dr Rod Thornton [2], a former soldier turned academic who served in a counter-terrorism role in Northern Ireland. Dr Thornton’s article – ‘How a student’s use of a library book became a “major Islamist plot”’ - exposes how senior management at the University of Nottingham caused two men of ethnic minority background – Rizwaan Sabir, an MA student and Hicham Yezza, a member of staff - to be arrested and detained for six days under the Terrorism Act 2000 [3]. The removal of his article has allegedly come as a result of pressure on the website’s editors by the University of Nottingham, ahead of its general release to the public and media today.

New light shed on the Nottingham Two

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 22:27:37 +0000

An extensive paper on the case of the Nottingham Two has been published by University of Nottingham academic, Rod Thornton. Pieced together from heavily redacted Freedom of Information requests, Rizwaan Sabir’s Data Protection Access requests and even meetings with Special Branch officers, it paints a damning picture of the University’s management. Entitled Radicalisation at universities or radicalisation by universities? it describes ‘How a student’s use of a library book became a “major Islamist plot”’.

Newswire: Islamophobia and the Nottingham Two | Radicalisation at Universities... | Interview with Hicham Yezza & Rizwaan Sabir

Previous features: Anger Over "Terror Arrests" at Nottingham University | Nottingham Uni Detainee Innocent But Still Facing Deportation | Hundreds Join Demo for Academic Freedom and Against Deportation | Campaign Victories As Hich And Amdani Are Released On Bail

Islamophobia and the Nottingham Two

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:44:50 +0000

Rod Thornton, a University of Nottingham lecturer who became embroiled in the struggle for justice for Rizwaan Sabir and Hicham Yezza, has published his extensive account of the case of the Nottingham Two. Pieced together from heavily redacted Freedom of Information requests, Rizwaan's Data Protection Access requests and even meetings with Special Branch officers, it paints a damning picture of the University of Nottingham's management. For those who don't have the time to read the entire paper, this is an attempt to summarise what I thought were some of the most interesting sections.

Interview with Hicham Yezza & Rizwaan Sabir

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 23:39:08 +0000

Hicham Yezza and Rizwaan Sabir were arrested under the Terrorism Act in May 2008 at the University of Nottingham. In the pair's first joint interview since those events, Riseup Radio spoke to them about the persecution they've faced since the arrests, the plight of other Muslims accused of terrorist offences, the government's anti-terror strategies, the growth of Islamophobia in the media and in the form of groups like the EDL, and what their plans are for the future.