23 July 201116 December 2022 4WardEverUK

‘Forgotten’ terror suspect nears 5 years in prison

originally by: Your Local Guardian
13th July 2011

The family of Tooting’s ‘forgotten’ terror suspect, who remains in jail without trial, are preparing to mark the fifth anniversary of his imprisonment. Syed Talha Ahsan – a 31-year-old writer with Asperger syndrome – was arrested at his home in Franciscan Road, Tooting, on July 19, 2007, after US authorities requested his extradition.

Read about Syed here >

He is accused in the US of terrorism-related offences arising out of an alleged involvement with a series of websites between 1997 and 2004. Mr Ahsan’s case is linked to that of Babar Ahmad – but he has received much less media attention than Mr Ahmad, who was arrested in 2003 and is also still in prison.

19 July 201116 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Australia: Police face fury after death of African man

originally by: The Age.com
17th July 2011

More than 250 people from the local African-Australian community gathered in Flemington yesterday to demand a full investigation into the death of Michael Atakelt, 22, found dead in the Maribyrnong River on July 7. Many present, representing local families and community groups, said the young man’s death was yet another tragedy for a community already grieving for their youth, who they claim are harassed by some Victoria Police officers.

The man’s father, Getachen Atakelt Seyoum, said Footscray police officers had told him his son had no injuries when found. But when he identified him, he had a damaged left eyeball, a smashed nose, a big scratch and blood on his face, and his body was covered in bruises, he said. Michael Atakelt had been held by Footscray police overnight and released on June 26, the day he went missing.

27 June 201116 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Police officer who killed Oscar Grant free, some protesters still face jail

originally by: Truthout
19th June 2011

Johannes Mehserle, the former BART police officer who shot and killed Oscar Grant while he was lying face down on the Fruitvale station train platform on New Year’s Day 2009, was released from a Los Angeles jail June 13 after serving a total of 365 days for his involuntary manslaughter conviction. He was sentenced to two years behind bars, but Judge Robert Perry granted him an early release due to credit for time served and good behavior.

The same date of his release, the National Lawyers Guild filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of 150 protesters who were mass-arrested during the Nov. 5, 2010 demonstration in Oakland in the wake of Mehersle’s sentencing.