11 November 2008
Mohamed Raissi is the brother of Lotfi Raissi who was wrongly accused of training the 9/11 hijackers. The Court of Appeal confirmed in February this year that Lotfi was “completely exonerated” in a strongly worded judgement that was critical of the part played by the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police in the failed attempt to extradite him.
Like Lotfi, Mohamed, his wife and daughter were awoken by police officers pounding on his door in Hounslow at 3.00am. He opened his door to a team of police officers who immediately arrested him for involvement in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US. Mohamed was told to undress and put on a forensic white suit before he was handcuffed and led out to an unmarked police car. He was driven to Paddington Green Police station where he was held incommunicado and detained for approximately 42 hours before being released without charge.
The Court of Appeal considered the reasons given by the Metropolitan Police to justify the arrest and ruled that “they amount only to the fact that he and Lotfi were close brothers, that they lived not very far apart and that each had access to the other’s house. In our judgment, that was not enough”. The arrest was therefore unlawful.
The family’s solicitor Jules Carey of Tuckers Solicitors stated that the amount of damages Mohamed would receive from the Commissioner had not yet been determined. Mr Carey stated that he hoped a sum could be agreed so as to avoid further litigation in this case.
Mohamed said “I feel very relieved that this ordeal is almost over. We lost a lot, not just my freedom. My wife lost her job with Virgin Airlines when I was arrested and my health and our family life were put under terrible pressure. I hope a line is drawn under this chapter soon so that we can all move on”.