Overview
Rangzieb Ahmed is a British-Pakistani operative for al-Qaeda. Ahmed is the first person to be convicted in the United Kingdom of directing terrorism. A U.K. court sentenced Ahmed to life imprisonment in December 2008 for heading a three man al-Qaeda cell in Dubai preparing to commit mass murder in South Africa.Flora Thompson, “Parole Board to decide whether to release terror boss,” Evening Standard, June 9, 2021, https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/parole-board-rochdale-muslim-pakistani-mi5-b939706.html; “RANGZIEB AHMED Claimant - and - (1) DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY SERVICE (2) CHIEF OF THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (3) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS Defendants (4) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (5) HER MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY -GENERAL (6) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE,” Royal Courts of Justice, December 16, 2020, https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ahmed-v-DG-of-SS-and-Ors-FINAL.pdf; Sadie Gray, “British Muslim aborted terror plot after al-Qaida chief's death, court hears,” Guardian, September 25, 2008, https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/sep/25/1.
Born in the U.K., Ahmed’s family moved to Pakistani Kashmir when he was around seven or eight. Ahmed was later abandoned by his father, leaving Ahmed in Pakistan, where he later got a job on a farm. When Ahmed was 18, he was arrested in Indian Kashmir for fighting with the group Harkat ul-Mujahideen, an al-Qaeda linked militant group focused on waging jihad against Indian forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Although Ahmed was never formally charged, he spent seven years in jail in India before being accused of illegally crossing the border from Pakistani Kashmir into Indian Kashmir. In May 2001, Ahmed was released.Duncan Gardham, “Al-Qaeda terror trial: Rangzieb Ahmed was highest ranking al-Qaeda operative in Britain,” Telegraph, December 18, 2008, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3832366/Al-Qaeda-terror-trial-Rangzieb-Ahmed-was-highest-ranking-al-Qaeda-operative-in-Britain.html.
Ahmed reportedly moved back to the United Kingdom following his release, where his brother claimed he “looked a bit disturbed…we knew the Indian authorities had tortured him.”Duncan Gardham, “Al-Qaeda terror trial: Rangzieb Ahmed was highest ranking al-Qaeda operative in Britain,” Telegraph, December 18, 2008, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3832366/Al-Qaeda-terror-trial-Rangzieb-Ahmed-was-highest-ranking-al-Qaeda-operative-in-Britain.html. Ahmed spent a few years in the U.K. and in December 2005, Ahmed reportedly traveled to Dubai where he headed a three-man cell seeking to launch an attack in South Africa. However, the plot was aborted when a member of the operation, Hamza Rabia—the alleged number three in al-Qaeda at the time—was killed in a U.S. missile strike.Sadie Gray, “British Muslim aborted terror plot after al-Qaida chief's death, court hears,” Guardian, September 25, 2008, https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/sep/25/1. After the failed plot, Ahmed returned to the U.K. before relocating again to Pakistan on January 16, 2006.“RANGZIEB AHMED Claimant - and - (1) DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY SERVICE (2) CHIEF OF THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (3) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS Defendants (4) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (5) HER MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY -GENERAL (6) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE,” Royal Courts of Justice, December 16, 2020, https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ahmed-v-DG-of-SS-and-Ors-FINAL.pdf; Sadie Gray, “British Muslim aborted terror plot after al-Qaida chief's death, court hears,” Guardian, September 25, 2008, https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/sep/25/1. After his arrival, on August 20, 2006, Ahmed was arrested for terrorism offenses by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.Dan Sabbagh, “MI5 colluded in Pakistan's torture of British terrorist, court hears,” Guardian, October 27, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/oct/27/mi5-colluded-in-pakistans-torture-of-british-terrorist-court-hears; “RANGZIEB AHMED Claimant - and - (1) DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY SERVICE (2) CHIEF OF THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (3) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS Defendants (4) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (5) HER MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY -GENERAL (6) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE,” Royal Courts of Justice, December 16, 2020, https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ahmed-v-DG-of-SS-and-Ors-FINAL.pdf.
According to Ahmed, on September 12, 2006, he was seen by agents from either MI5 or MI6 who allegedly subjected him to torture.“RANGZIEB AHMED Claimant - and - (1) DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY SERVICE (2) CHIEF OF THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (3) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS Defendants (4) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (5) HER MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY -GENERAL (6) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE,” Royal Courts of Justice, December 16, 2020, https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ahmed-v-DG-of-SS-and-Ors-FINAL.pdf. Ahmed claimed that he was beaten and had his fingernails ripped out.Dominic Casciani, “'Torture' man wins appeal right,” BBC News, June 30, 2010, https://www.bbc.com/news/10465638. Ahmed was detained until September 7, 2007, when he was deported from Pakistan back to the United Kingdom.“RANGZIEB AHMED Claimant - and - (1) DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY SERVICE (2) CHIEF OF THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (3) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS Defendants (4) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (5) HER MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY -GENERAL (6) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE,” Royal Courts of Justice, December 16, 2020, https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ahmed-v-DG-of-SS-and-Ors-FINAL.pdf.
Ahmed was arrested upon arrival at Heathrow Airport in London, where he was charged with directing the activities of an organization commissioning acts of terrorism.“RANGZIEB AHMED Claimant - and - (1) DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY SERVICE (2) CHIEF OF THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (3) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS Defendants (4) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (5) HER MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY -GENERAL (6) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE,” Royal Courts of Justice, December 16, 2020, https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ahmed-v-DG-of-SS-and-Ors-FINAL.pdf. On September 19, 2007, Ahmed appeared before the City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court where he was also charged with possessing three books containing information related to preparing an act of terrorism. According to investigators, Ahmed held three diaries that contained details and phone numbers of key al-Qaeda operatives written in invisible ink. According to media sources, Ahmed allegedly plotted to commit acts of terrorism and obtained al-Qaeda-related documents sometime between April 22, 2004 and August 24, 2006.“Man charged with terror offences,” BBC News, September 19, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7002132.stm. At some point between 2006 and 2007, Ahmed was also charged with possessing a rucksack containing traces of explosive material.“Man charged with terror offences,” BBC News, September 19, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7002132.stm.
On December 19, 2008, the Crown Court at Manchester sentenced Ahmed to life imprisonment with a minimum term of ten years for planning “mass murder attacks.”“RANGZIEB AHMED Claimant - and - (1) DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY SERVICE (2) CHIEF OF THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (3) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS Defendants (4) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (5) HER MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY -GENERAL (6) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE,” Royal Courts of Justice, December 16, 2020, https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ahmed-v-DG-of-SS-and-Ors-FINAL.pdf; Flora Thompson, “Parole Board to decide whether to release terror boss,” Evening Standard, June 9, 2021, https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/parole-board-rochdale-muslim-pakistani-mi5-b939706.html; Mario Ledwith, “Judge rules that torture claims by Al Qaeda mastermind MUST be made public as Government loses secrecy fight,” Daily Mail, October 27, 2020, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8886941/Judge-rules-torture-claims-Al-Qaeda-mastermind-public-UK-loses-secrecy-bid.html. In light of Ahmed’s allegations that he was tortured by MI5 agents while detained in Pakistan, on August 12, 2009, Ahmed issued proceedings against the Director General of MI5 and five other defendants claiming damages for false imprisonment, assault, battery, misfeasance in public office, negligence, and breach of human rights. However, the appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal Criminal Division (CACD) on February 25, 2011.“RANGZIEB AHMED Claimant - and - (1) DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY SERVICE (2) CHIEF OF THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (3) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS Defendants (4) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (5) HER MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY -GENERAL (6) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE,” Royal Courts of Justice, December 16, 2020, https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ahmed-v-DG-of-SS-and-Ors-FINAL.pdf. Ahmed sought to appeal to the Supreme Court, but his appeal was once again refused on June 23, 2011.“RANGZIEB AHMED Claimant - and - (1) DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY SERVICE (2) CHIEF OF THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (3) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS Defendants (4) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (5) HER MAJESTY'S ATTORNEY -GENERAL (6) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE,” Royal Courts of Justice, December 16, 2020, https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ahmed-v-DG-of-SS-and-Ors-FINAL.pdf.
On June 9, 2021, the Parole Board held a hearing to determine whether Ahmed could be freed from jail.Flora Thompson, “Parole Board to decide whether to release terror boss,” Evening Standard, June 9, 2021, https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/parole-board-rochdale-muslim-pakistani-mi5-b939706.html. However, on November 1, 2021, the board turned down Ahmed’s parole bid, claiming “releasing him was still too risky.” Ahmed remains detained at Buckley Hall Prison in Greater Manchester.Nick Parker, “PAROLE REJECTED Britain’s top al-Qaeda terror chief Rangzieb Ahmed has parole bid turned down,” Sun, November 1, 2021, https://www.the-sun.com/news/3978540/top-al-qaeda-rangzieb-ahmed-parole-bid-turned-down-accusing-guards-racism/.
Associated Groups
- Extremist entity
- Al-Qaeda
- Read Threat Report
- Type(s) of Organization:
- Non-state actor, religious, terrorist, transnational, violent
- Ideologies and Affiliations:
- Jihadist, pan-Islamist, Qutbist, Salafist, Sunni, takfiri
- Position(s):
- Operative
Al-Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks was the deadliest ever on American soil, killing nearly 3,000 people. Since the fall of the Taliban, al-Qaeda has established operations worldwide, including in Syria, the Gulf, North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and the Indian subcontinent.
History
Daily Dose
Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.
Fact:
On May 8, 2019, Taliban insurgents detonated an explosive-laden vehicle and then broke into American NGO Counterpart International’s offices in Kabul. At least seven people were killed and 24 were injured.