Osama Hassan Ahmed Mohammed (اسامة حسان أحمد) was arrested on 28 September 1998 in the United Kingdom under accusation of membership in al-Jihad.[1][2] Along with seven other Middle Eastern men living in Britain, he was arrested in a raid called Operation Challenge, planned by the Met, MI5, and the FBI and approved under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989.[2][3][4][5] They were all released on lack of evidence but police quickly re-arrested Mohammed on grounds of national security.[3] He was sentenced to five years in prison with hard labour.[3] The home office attempted to deport him to Cairo but the Egyptian government pushed back, saying they could not "guarantee his safety."[3] Six months after the arrests, British Muslims staged a demonstration in front of 10 Downing Street to protest the continued incarceration of the seven men.[1]

In 1998, just prior to his arrest, Mohammed came to the UK from Albania.[3] His wife, who lived in Hayes with their four children, had cancer.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b https://books.google.com/books?id=zd8AgAAQBAJ
  2. ^ a b Vest, Jason (2005-07-20). "Threat interpretation may be biggest barrier to warding off attacks". Government Executive. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Norton-Taylor, Richard (1999-06-20). "Dissident goes on hunger strike". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  4. ^ Hoge, Warren (1998-09-24). "Britain arrests 7 suspected of links to Bin Laden". The New York Times. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  5. ^ Norton-Taylor, Richard; Black, Ian (1999-04-15). "Police hold Islam cleric 'in fishing expedition'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-10-31.