afrol News, 29 July - London's High Court has rejected a plea by three Tunisian men against their extradition to Italy on human rights grounds and fears of possible torture there. Three alleged terrorists are due to stand trial for terrorism-related charges.

Lawyers for three suspects argued there was a real risk that Italian authorities would use counter terrorism legislation to send them back to their home country before they could appeal against their expulsion.

Two High court judges Mr Malcolm Pill and Ms Anne Rafferty rejected that claim and fears that men could be tortured, stamping and upholding ruling of a lower court for their extradition.

The three Habib Ignaoua, Mohamed Khemiri and Ali Chehidi now have 14 days to decide whether to appeal their request rejection to Britain's highest court.

During a recent hearing, high court judges were told that Italians had used their own counter-terrorism legislation, 2005 "Pisanu Law", to disregard an interim order from European Court of Human Rights and deport a terrorist suspect, an act which the court said reports were disturbing.

The men's lawyer, Anthony Lester, said that Italian deportation law allowed a systemic breach of well-established convention principles and Britain had received no assurances that three men would not be sent back to Tunisia.

The Tunisian men were arrested in the London and Manchester areas late last year as part of coordinated raids across Europe against an alleged North Italy-based network recruiting fighters for Iraq and Afghanistan. But all men denied charges.

Mr Ignaoua and Mr Khemiri have previously been tried and convicted in their absence in Tunisia of terrorism-related offences, the judges were told.

A judge at City of Westminster Magistrates Court in central London ordered in May that all three aged 37, 53 and 35 at the time should be extradited.

Three men were detained under European arrest warrants (EAWs) issued at request of a pre-trial investigation judge attached to the court of Milan.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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