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17/07/2003
Afghan man appears in London court on charges of torture
An Afghan man has appeared before a London Court charged with 16 offences – including torture and kidnapping – during his tenure as military commander of a town in his native country at the time of its civil war.
The proceedings represent a landmark case under the terms of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. Zardad Faryadi Sarwar (40) is currently resident in south London, having claimed asylum several years ago. It is thought Mr Sarwar left Afghanistan when the Taliban came to power, before which he worked as a military commander in charge of the roadblocks around the town of Sarobi, which lies along one of the main routes to the Afghan capital, Kabul.
Mr Sarwar, who was arrested by Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist police on Wednesday night, is charged with nine counts relating to acts of torture or giving orders for the carrying out of torture. Five other charges relate to taking hostages and holding them to ransom, while two further charges pertains to plotting to carry out torture and taking a hostage.
(CL)
The proceedings represent a landmark case under the terms of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. Zardad Faryadi Sarwar (40) is currently resident in south London, having claimed asylum several years ago. It is thought Mr Sarwar left Afghanistan when the Taliban came to power, before which he worked as a military commander in charge of the roadblocks around the town of Sarobi, which lies along one of the main routes to the Afghan capital, Kabul.
Mr Sarwar, who was arrested by Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist police on Wednesday night, is charged with nine counts relating to acts of torture or giving orders for the carrying out of torture. Five other charges relate to taking hostages and holding them to ransom, while two further charges pertains to plotting to carry out torture and taking a hostage.
(CL)
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