Bungling British police again

Locking up a man on suspicion only, ruining his life

An Algerian-born pilot is likely to receive compensation of up to £2 million after having been wrongly accused of training the 9/11 terrorists. Lotfi Raissi was told yesterday by Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, that he was eligible for a payout.

Mr Raissi has been fighting for compensation for six years after his arrest ten days after the terror attacks in September 2001. He was held in custody for almost five months before a judge found that there was no evidence to link him to any form of terrorism.

Mr Raissi, 36, now living in Chiswick, West London, said: “My life was destroyed. My career was destroyed ... It was a struggle, struggle, struggle for the last nine years.”

He said that he expected an apology from the Ministry of Justice. “It is not a question about the compensation, it’s a matter of principle. I was fighting for justice and what I want at the end of it is an apology.”

He is expected to claim compensation that takes into account the loss of his career as an airline pilot, his wrongful imprisonment and damage to his health. Mr Raissi said he had been blacklisted from all airline jobs and had not worked for the last nine years.

Jules Carey, his solicitor, said: “The allegations of terrorism were utterly ruinous to him, both personally and professionally.”

Original report here



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