Look up Ahmad or Ahmed in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Ahmad or Ahmed are the principal transliterations of the Arabic given name, Arabic: أحمد‎ ʾaḥmad. The name comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root of Ḥ-M-D, meaning "highly praised", implying "one who constantly thanks God".

Etymology[link]

One of the Islamic prophet Muhammad's many names is Ahmed, the name "Muhammad" pre-dating "Ahmed". The context by which "Ahmed" is referred to as "praised" can at times be mistaken. This has to do with the fact that since the prophet Muhammad was so highly regarded in Islam that the name "Ahmed" has come to mean "highly praised".

The name has its origins in a prophecy from Jesus Christ, mentioned once in the Quran in Surah 61: The Ranks.

61:6 And [this happened, too,] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said: "O children of Israel! Behold, I am an apostle of God unto you, [sent] to confirm the truth of whatever there still remains of the Torah, and to give [you] the glad tiding of an apostle who shall come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed." But when he [whose coming Jesus had foretold] came unto them with all evidence of the truth, they said: "This [alleged message of his] is [nothing but] spellbinding eloquence!"

Transliterations[link]

Ahmad is the most elementary transliteration. It is used commonly all over the Muslim world, although primarily in the Middle East. More recently, this transliteration has become increasing popular in the United States due to use by members of the African American community.

Ahmed is the most common variant transliteration, used especially in the context of the Ottoman Empire. This transliteration is also used throughout the Muslim world.

Ahmet is the modern Turkish transliteration. Modern Turkish uses a Latin-based alphabet, and most Arabic-derived names have standardized Turkish spellings.

The less common transliterations of Ahmad are used by Muslims outside the Middle East proper, such as in Indonesia and Russia.

Some Muslims who have the first name of Ahmad, prefer to use their second name instead of "Ahmad" as it is such a common name.

Given name[link]

Ahmad[link]

• Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, former president of Sierra Leone
• Ahmad (rapper), West Coast hip hop performer
• Ahmad (Jowzjan), a delegate to Afghanistan's Constitutional Loya Jirga
• Ahmad (Takhar), a delegate to Afghanistan's Constitutional Loya Jirga
• Ahmad Abbas, Saudi Arabian footballer
• Ahmad Abdalla, Egyptian film director
• Ahmad Shah Abdali, founder of Durrani Empire
• Ahmad Adel, Egyptian footballer
• Ahmad Ahmadi, Iranian physician
• Ahmad Alaq, Khan of eastern Moghulistan
• Ahmad A'zam, Uzbek writer
• Ahmad Bahar, Iranian politician
• Ahmad Black, American football safety for the Florida Gators
• Ahmad Bradshaw, American football running back for the New York Giants
• Ahmad Brooks, American football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers
• Ahmad Bunnag of Siam
• Ahmad Carroll, American football free agent
• Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Founder of the Hanbalite School of Law and Theology
• Ahmad ibn Fadlan, Abbasid ambassador to the Volga Bulgars
• Ahmad Fanakati, financial officer of Kublai Khan's Yuan Dynasty
• Ahmad Hardi, Kurdish poet
• Ahmad Hawkins, American football defensive back for the Alabama Vipers
• Ahmad Jamal, American jazz pianist
• Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, President of Sierra Leone
• Ahmad Kasravi, Iranian linguists and historian
• Ahmad Maher (disambiguation), various people
• Ahmad Mohammad Hasher Al Maktoum
• Ahmad Shah Massoud, an Afghan military leader Deputy Justice on the Supreme Court of Afghanistan
• Ahmad Miller, former defensive tackle for the National Football League
• Ahmad Merritt, American football free agent
• Ahmad Nivins, American basketball player
• Ahmad ibn Rustah, Persian chronicler born in Isfahan, Persia
• Ahmad Rashād, sportcscaster and former football player
• Ahmad Shah (disambiguation), various people
• Ahmad Shamlou, Persian poet and writer
• Ahmad Shukeiri, first Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization
• Ahmad Sohrab, Persian author
• Ahmad Tajuddin, 27th Sultan of Brunei
• Ahmad Tekuder (d. 1284), leader of the Mongol Ilkhanate
• Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar
• Ahmad Treaudo, American football cornerback for the California Redwoods
• Ahmad Shah Qajar, Last Shah of the Qajar dynasty
• Ahmad Zarruq, Shadhili Sufi Sheikh

Ahmed[link]

• Ahmed I, sultan of the Ottoman Empire
• Ahmed II, sultan of the Ottoman Empire
• Ahmed III, sultan of the Ottoman Empire
• Ahmed Ahmed, Egyptian American actor and comedian
• Ahmed Arif (1927–1991), Turkish poet
• Ahmed Baduri, Eritean diplomat
• Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, former President of Iraq
• Ahmed Ben Bella, the first President of Algeria
• Ahmed Sheikh Ali "Burale", Somali writer and politician
• Ahmed Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress
• Ahmed al-Ghamdi (1979–2001), Saudi hijacker of United Airlines Flight 175
• Ahmed al-Haznawi (1980–2001), Saudi hijacker of United Airlines Flight 93
• Ahmed Hulusi, Turkish writer and Sufi
• Ahmed Imamovic, Bosnian film director
• Ahmed Khadr, Egyptian-Canadian senior associate and financier

of al-Qaeda

• Ahmed Kidwai, Up and Coming Canadian Entrepreneur
• Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi, Mujaddid of 14th century of Islam
• Ahmed Köprülü, Ottoman Grand Vizier of the Köprülü family
• Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirati politician
• Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirati businessman
• Ahmed Mohiuddin, a noted Pakistani biologist
• Ahmed Nadeem, cricketer
• Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan, founder and chairman of Etihad Airways
• Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Emirati businessman
• Ahmed al-Nami (1977–2001), Saudi hijacker of United Airlines Flight 93
• Ahmed Nazif (born 1952), Egyptian politician
• Ahmed Nizam, Indian cricketer
• Ahmed Patel, Indian politician
• Ahmed Plummer, former NFL player
• Ahmed Rushdi, Pakistani singer
• Ahmed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, member of the royal family of Saudi Arabia
• Ahmed Sanjar, a ruler of the Seljuk Turks
• Ahmed Santos, Mexican newspaper columnist
• Ahmed Şerafettin, Turkish football manager
• Ahmed Sheikh, Palestinian journalist
• Ahmed Talbi, Moroccan footballer
• Ahmed Sékou Touré, African political leader and president of the Republic of Guinea
• Ahmed Yassin, former leader of Palestinian Hamas
• Ahmed Yesevi, a leader of Sufi mysticism
• Ahmed H. Zewail, the winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on femtochemistry

Ahmet[link]

• Ahmet Alkan, Turkish economist
• Ahmet Almaz, Turkish journalist
• Ahmet Bilek, Turkish Olympic champion
• Ahmet Davutoğlu, Turkish diplomat and political scientist
• Ahmet Dursun, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Enünlü, Turkish bodybuilder
• Ahmet Ertegun, Turkish American founder and president of Atlantic Records
• Ahmet Gülhan, Turkish wrestler
• Ahmet Güvenç, Turkish rock musician
• Ahmet İzzet, Ottoman general
• Ahmet Kanneci, Turkish guitar virtuoso
• Ahmet Kireççi, Turkish sports wrestler
• Ahmet Koç, Turkish musician
• Ahmet Kuru, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Öcal, Belgian footballer
• Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Cevdet Pasha, Ottoman statesman
• Ahmet Peker (born 1989), Turkish wrestler
• Ahmet Polat, Turkish photographer
• Ahmet Sağlam, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Necdet Sezer, tenth President of the Republic of Turkey
• Ahmet Burak Solakel, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, Turkish writer
• Ahmet Türk, Turkish politician
• Ahmet Fikri Tüzer, Turkish politician
• Ahmet Ümit, Turkish author
• Ahmet Uzun, Turkish Cypriot politician
• Ahmet Vardar, Turkish journalist
• Ahmet Yıldırım, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Yıldız, Turkish scientist
• Ahmet Zappa, American musician, actor and novelist

Other spellings[link]

• Achmad Jufriyanto, Indonesian footballer
• Achmad Nawir, Dutch East Indies footballer
• Achmad Saba'a, Arab-Israeli footballer
• Achmat Dangor, South African writer
• Achmed Abdullah, Russian writer
• Achmed Akkabi, Moroccan-Dutch presenter and actor
• Achmed Labasanov, Russian mixed martial artist
• Achmet (oneiromancer), Occultist
• Ahmat Acyl, Chadian Arab insurgent leader
• Ahmat Brahim, Chadian footballer
• Ahmat Taboye, Chadian writer

This page or section lists people that share the same given name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.

Surname[link]

• Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former Prime Minister of Malaysia
• Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, former President of Somalia
• Adnan Ahmed, football player
• Aneel Ahmad, film director
• Dajan Ahmet, Estonian actor
• Hocine Aït Ahmed, Algerian politician
• Iajuddin Ahmed, the Former President of Bangladesh
• Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait
• Kafeel Ahmed (died 2007), one of the perpetrators of the 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack
• K. S. Nissar Ahmed, popular Kannada poet and writer from India
• Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of Iran
• Matthew Ahmat, Australian rules footballer
• Matthew Ahmet, British wushu practitioner
• Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Messiah claimant from India, founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement of Islam
• Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih II of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mirza Nasir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih III of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mısırlı Ahmet, Turkish virtuoso darbuka player
• Nazir Ahmed, Baron Ahmed, British peer and politician
• Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir, President of Sudan
• Rangzieb Ahmed, British terrorist, director of Al-Qaeda in the United Kingdom
• Robert Ahmat, Australian rules footballer
• Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait
• Tariq Ahmad, Baron Ahmad, British peer and politician
• Zackie Achmat, South African activist

This page or section lists people with the surname Ahmad, or Ahmed. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.

Fictional characters[link]

• Ahmed Johnson, American former professional wrestler
• Prince Ahmed, prince in the Arabian Nights

John Austin IV, (born September 25, 1976) better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is a former member of the hip hop supergroup The HRSMN along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt. also a member of Golden State Warriors with Xzibit and Saafir.

Biography[link]

Austin was born in Watts, California on September 26, 1976.^[1]

Early career[link]

Ras Kass sent waves through the hip-hop world with his debut independent single release "Remain Anonymous," earning him a Hip-Hop Quotable in The Source Magazine. Before his signing with Priority/EMI Records, Ras Kass began making guest appearances on several records and freestyles on numerous radio shows, further solidified the emerging lyricist's notoriety. Recorded guest appearances include Sway & King Tech's "Come Widdit" (feat. Ras Kass, Ahamad & Saafir) (Priority Records) and their "Wake Up Show Anthem ’94" (feat. Ras Kass, Nas, Lauryn Hill, Chino XL, Organized Konfusion & Saafir), as well as Chino XL's "Riiot" American Records, and KeyKool & Rhettmatic's "E=MC5" (feat. Ras Kass, LMNO, Meen Green &  !) Up Above Records.

[edit] Soul on Ice & Rasassination

From a young age, Austin was influenced by hip hop music, inspired by a variety of emcees including Ice Cube, Rakim, Scarface, and KRS-One. His first album, Soul on Ice, was released in 1996. Taking its name from a book by Eldridge Cleaver, Ras addressed racial relations in the same manner, most notably with "Ordo Abchao" and "Nature of the Threat." The album was released on Priority Records, as was the follow-up, Rasassination, which featured beats from Easy Mo Bee and guest appearances by RZA, Twista, Xzibit, Mack 10 and Dr. Dre. Lead single "Ghetto Fabulous" featured Dre and Mack 10 and was pushed by a lavish video shoot. The album received generally positive reviews,^[2] and shortly afterward the MC announced his third album, Van Gogh.

[edit] Priority Issues, Van Gogh & Goldyn Chyld

During the recording of Ras's intended third album, Van Gogh, Priority Records merged with Capitol Records, which acquired the emcee’s contract and his material.^[3] Initially near completion, the album was heavily bootlegged before any single or promotion could be prepared. In fact, the would be single "Van Gogh" was even played on an episode of The Sopranos. Ras went back to work overhauling the project, procuring tracks from DJ Premier, Hi-Tek, and Dr. Dre and retaining songs from Rockwilder and Battlecat. Tensions arose during the re-recording, from budget restrictions to lack of promotion: Despite the fact that "Van Gough" remained shelved the album's singles "Back It Up" and "Goldyn Chyd" received decent amount of spins on Los Angeles urban contemporary radio stations KKBT (The Beat) and KPWR (Power 106) during the course of 2001-02.

Ras Kass was also involved in The HRSMN, sometimes called the 4 Hrsmn, consisting of himself, Kurupt (of Tha Dogg Pound), Killah Priest, and Canibus. The Horsemen Project, a white-label of rough tracks by the four, was released in 2003, but no other releases have been subsequently forthcoming. Finally, nearing the completion of his album, the MC and Priority disagreed over the lead single. Originally pushing "Goldyn Chyld," produced by DJ Premier, Priority executives decided to try to release the Dr. Dre-produced "The Whoop" instead, against the wishes of both Ras Kass and Dr. Dre. As he was finishing up Goldyn Chyld, Kass was pulled over in California and arrested for a D.U.I., marking his third; though sentenced to jail time, he was given an extension. Two weeks before the start of his sentence, Priority informed him of their decision not to put out Goldyn Chyld after all. Becoming a fugitive, Ras attained the masters to his project, recorded some music, and finally turned himself in to police.^[4] During this time, he also had minor problems with producer the Alchemist, who sold Ras a beat that he later re-sold to rapper Jadakiss, which ultimately formed the basis for the track "We Gon' Make It."^[5]

[edit] Incarceration, Institutionalized, Priority Release

After serving only 19 months for his D.U.I. charge, Ras Kass recorded the album Institutionalized and began seeking release from his contract with Priority/Capitol Records. Though intended to be an album, it was released as a mixtape,^[6] generating a moderate buzz^[7][8] despite Capitol's alleged reluctance.^[8] He would go on to release two more mixtapes in 2006, Revenge of the Spit and Eat or Die, and got into a fight with former G-Unit rapper The Game over an alleged reference to the rapper's son in a freestyle .^[9] In October 2007, Kass finally succeeded in being released from his record contract.^[3] However, after rumors of a deal with Def Jam or G-Unit Records,^[10] he was again incarcerated, this time for violating his parole by flying to the 2007 BET Awards. During this time, he put out the album Institutionalized Vol. 2 on Babygrande Records. After nearly two years of incarceration, Ras Kass was released from jail at the end of May 2009.^[11]

Ras Kass talks about his arrest and incarceration in the 2011 film Rhyme and Punishment which documents Rap artists who have spent time behind bars.

The Quarterly[link]

Featured in HipHopDX's Underground Report, Ras Kass revealed that his next release would be a project called The Quarterly. Originally intended to be completed within the fourth quarter of 2009, it comprises a song a week released in the fashion of fellow west coast emcee Crooked I's Hip-Hop Weekly and Freeway's Month of Madness. Though released in this format, the collected songs was released as an album.^[12] "The Quarterly" was released on November 23, 2009 via www.raskass-central.com and includes nineteen tracks featuring collaborations by Killah Priest, Mistah F.A.B. and Krondon of Strong Arm Steady, with production from Pete Rock, Veterano, and others.^[13]

A.D.I.D.A.S. Kickstarter Project & Save The Ras Kass[link]

In 2010 Ras Kass launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the manufacture of 1000 CDs and 500 vinyls for his A.D.I.D.A.S. (All Day I Dream About Spittin) project and a viral marketing campaign called Save The Ras Kass, which included a series of satirical webisodes about the plight of the endangered emcee. In an interview with MTV UK writer Han O'Connor he explained his decision to use Kickstarter, stating "we started trying different angles at solving old problems. Kickstarter was the natural evolution of trying creative new business models. When we put out The Quarterly there were people that said, ‘well how come you didn’t create a CD for this?’ and I’m like ‘well if I have to spend that $5000 and you want one, I appreciate it but there’s the small problem that I spent $5000.’"^[14] His webisodes document the downfall of an emcee, as he explained, "You just see this downward spiral; it’s just that fall from grace and I’m kind of making fun of that and using me as the vehicle for it."^[14]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Street Albums[link]

• "Van Gogh" (2001) (unreleased)
• "Goldyn Chyld" (2002) (unreleased)
• "Re-Up The Compilation" (2003)
• "Eat Or Die" (2006)
• "Revenge Of The Spit" (2006) (mixtape)
• "Chinese Graffiti" (2007)
• "Institutionalized Vol. 2" (2008)
• "Quarterly" (2009)

Singles[link]

Selected Guest Appearances[link]

• 1994: Come Widdit (Ahmad, Ras Kass & Saafir) from Street Fighter (soundtrack)
• 1996: Plastic Surgery (Xzibit featuring Ras Kass & Saafir) from At the Speed of Life
• 1996: Riiiot! (Chino XL featuring Ras Kass) from Here to Save You All
• 1997: The Ebonic Plague (Cru featuring Ras Kass) from Da Dirty 30
• 1997: Uni-4-Orm (Ras Kass, Heltah Skeltah & Canibus) from Rhyme & Reason (soundtrack)
• 1997: Hit Em (Coolio featuring Ras Kass) from My Soul
• 1998: One on One (Kid Capri featuring Ras Kass & Punchline) from Soundtrack to the Streets
• 1998: Handwriting on the Wall (RZA featuring Ras Kass) from Bobby Digital in Stereo
• 1998: 3 Card Molly (Xzibit featuring Ras Kass & Saafir) from 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz
• 1999: On Top of the World (Battlecat (producer) featuring Ras Kass, Hot B & Skitso G) from Gumbo Roots
• 2000: What Part of the Game? (Killah Priest featuring Ras Kass) from View from Masada
• 2001: Bounce, Rock, Golden State (Xzibit, Ras Kass & Saafir) from Training Day (soundtrack)
• 2001: 2001 4dr. Cadillac (Bad Azz featuring Ras Kass, Sylk-E.Fyne & Butch Cassidy) from Personal Business
• 2001: Bentleys & Bitches (Da Beatminerz featuring Jayo Felony & Ras Kass) from Brace 4 Impak
• 2003: What Type (40 Glocc featuring Ras Kass) from The Jakal
• 2003: Rise of the Machines (Jedi Mind Tricks featuring Ras Kass) from Visions of Gandhi
• 2005: Lyrical Swords (GZA & Ras Kass) from Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture
• 2007: Musical Murdah (Hell Razah featuring Ras Kass) from Renaissance Child
• 2007: Go Hard (Bishop Lamont & Black Milk featuring Ras Kass & Royce Da 5'9") from Caltroit
• 2007: U Ain't Me (Strong Arm Steady feat. Chamillionaire, Ras Kass, & Xzibit) (prod. by Da Riffs) from Deep Hearted
• 2007: 125 Part 3 (Connections) (Joell Ortiz featuring Ras Kass, Stimuli, Grafh, Gab Gacha) The Brick: Bodega Chronicles
• 2008: The Corner (Termanology featuring Ras Kass, Doo Wop & Alias Khryst) from Da Cameo King
• 2008: Payback (Immortal Technique featuring Diabolic & Ras Kass) from The 3rd World
• 2008: Be Cool (Bishop Lamont featuring Xzibit, Ras Kass, Glasses Malone & Mykestro) from The Confessional
• 2010: 2010 Wake Up Show Anthem (Sway & King Tech featuring B-Real, Crooked I, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Qbert, DJ Revolution, Kam Moye, Locksmith, Ras Kass, RZA, Tajai & Tech N9ne)
• 2010: Smoke Sumthin (Cypress Hill featuring Ras Kass, Kurupt & Young De) from Smoke Out Compilation
• 2010: I Wanna Rock (West Coast Remix) (Snoop Dogg featuring Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Crooked I, Ras Kass & Nipsey Hussle)
• 2011: The Golden Cypher (Canibus featuring Ras Kass & K-Solo) from Lyrical Law
• 2012: The Book (The KnowMads featuring La & Ras Kass)

Filmography[link]

• 1997 Rhyme & Reason
• 1998 I Got the Hook Up
• 2000 Brothahood
• 2007 BEEF IV
• 2011 Rhyme and Punishment

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Ras Kass Central
• Ras Kass on Twitter
• Ras Kass on Myspace
• Ras Kass at the Internet Movie Database

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For the British writer/director see Babar Ahmed.

Babar Ahmad (born in London, England, May 1974) has been held in custody in the UK since August 2004. He has never been convicted of any criminal offence, but is held fighting extradition to the United States on allegations of involvement in websites supporting Chechen and Afghan insurgents.^[1][2]

In March 2009, he was awarded £60,000 compensation at the High Court in London after an admission by UK anti-terrorist police that they subjected him to "grave abuse, tantamount to torture" during his first arrest in December 2003.^[3][4]

He also appeared in the media in February 2008, when it was discovered that his conversations with Sadiq Khan MP had been monitored by the police during prison visits. An investigation of the monitoring found no impropriety.^[5]

He remains in prison awaiting the outcome of his appeal against extradition at the European Court of Human Rights.^[6] On 10 April 2012, the Court ruled that he can be extradited to the United States. ^[7]

Early life[link]

Babar Ahmad grew up in Tooting, South West London,^{[citation needed]} to parents who had migrated to England from Pakistan in the early 1960s.^{[citation needed]} His father is a retired civil servant and his mother a retired science teacher.^{[citation needed]}

Ahmad was educated at a public school, where he won academic prizes and obtained GCSEs and A-Levels. He then went to university and obtained a Master’s degree in Engineering from the University of London. Before his imprisonment in August 2004, he was working in the IT department at Imperial College London.^[8]

US prosecution of Ahmad and others[link]

Babar Ahmad was arrested in London on 5 August 2004 on charges of providing material support to terrorism, providing illegal support to the Taliban, money-laundering and conspiring to kill people. An affidavit filed with the US court details that Ahmad used aliases to operate Azzam.com, a website supporting Chechen and Taliban fighters. It further describes that items recovered from a house used by Ahmad included a British Airways Executive Club card in his name and next to it a floppy disk with a password-protected document containing a detailed description of the US Fifth Fleet, its ships, the date and time of its expected passage through the Straits of Hormuz, and that it was vulnerable to attack by "RPG" (rocket-propelled grenade).^[9] Ahmad was later indicted by a grand jury of US citizens in October 2004.^[10] Another man, Syed Talah Ahsan, was indicted in 2006 of involvement with Ahmad and with the battlegroup information in the document,^[11] and thereafter a US former navy seaman, Abu Jihad, was indicted and convicted of passing this information to them.^[12]

Under the Extradition Act 2003, the US does not have to provide any evidence before seeking the extradition of a British citizen.^[13]

US extradition documents state that "at all times material to the indictment" Babar Ahmad was resident in London, UK. However, the UK Crown Prosecution Service declared in July 2004 and December 2006, as did the UK Attorney General Lord Goldsmith in September 2006, that there was "insufficient evidence" to charge Ahmad with any criminal offence under UK law.^[14]

Having been refused bail, Ahmad was detained in prison, where he remains. On 17 May 2005, Senior District Judge Timothy Workman approved his extradition at Bow Street Magistrates' Court, stating: "This is a troubling and difficult case. The defendant is a British citizen who is alleged to have committed offences which, if the evidence were available, could have been prosecuted in this country...." ^[15]

In September 2005, Sadiq Khan, Member of Parliament for Tooting, presented a petition of 18,000 signatures of then Home Secretary Charles Clarke asking for Babar Ahmad to be tried in the UK, instead of being extradited.^[16] On 16 November 2005, Clarke approved his extradition to the US.^[17]

On 28 November 2005, the UK Parliamentary Home Affairs Select Committee raised serious concerns about the one-sided UK-US extradition arrangements and, in particular, the case of Babar Ahmad. In a House of Commons emergency debate on 12 July 2006 about UK-US extradition, several MPs from all parties raised concerns at the case of Babar Ahmad. His name has also been mentioned repeatedly in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords in relation to UK-US extradition.^[18] Thousands have attended demonstrations in support of him.^[19]

On 30 November 2006, he lost his appeal at the High Court.^[20] On 4 June 2007, the House of Lords refused to grant him leave to appeal to them.^[21]

On 10 June 2007, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg (France) ordered the UK Government to freeze Babar Ahmad’s extradition until they had fully determined his final appeal.

On 24 April 2012, the BBC reported the testimony of a British man convicted of plotting to blow up an aircraft, from the trial of Adis Medunjanin in New York. Saajid Badat was radicalised by Babar Ahmad, who arranged for Badat to receive "training in taking up arms", and that "when we talk about jihad it meant armed jihad, taking up arms". The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Babar Ahmad can be extradited to the US to stand trial on terrorism charges.^[22]

Police abuse case[link]

Babar Ahmad was first arrested at his Tooting home on 2 December 2003 by UK anti-terrorist police of 1 Unit 1 Area Territorial Support Group based at the high security Paddington Green Police Station. By the time he arrived in the custody suite of the police station, he had sustained at least 73 injuries, all later documented by both police and independent doctors, as well as in photographic and video evidence.^[6]

He filed a formal complaint that was supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). He complained that officers had beaten him with fists and knees, stamped on his bare feet with boots, rubbed metal handcuffs on his forearm bones, sexually abused him, mocked the Islamic faith by placing him into the Muslim prayer position and taunting, "Where is your God now?", and applied life-threatening neck holds to him until he felt he was about to die. Officers denied the claims, saying Ahmad had battled like a "caged tiger" during his arrest, adding his injuries were either self-inflicted or caused by a legal tackle that took him to the ground when he was first detained.^[23]

On 10 September 2004, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that there was "insufficient evidence" to prosecute any of the police officers involved in the attack. However, on 17 January 2005 the IPCC declared that PC Roderick James-Bowen (born 1971) would face internal police disciplinary procedures over the alleged assault.

On 13 April 2005 PC James-Bowen was cleared at a Police Misconduct Tribunal held at Woolwich Crown Court. Metropolitan Police Commander Andre Baker, the President of the Tribunal, stated that PC James-Bowen should be "commended, not castigated... for his great bravery" in arresting Ahmad.^[24]

On 18 March 2009, Babar Ahmad was awarded £60,000 compensation at the High Court in London after the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson admitted that he had been the victim of a "serious, gratuitous and prolonged attack".^[25]

On 26 March 2009, Mayor of London Boris Johnson announced an inquiry into the Babar Ahmad case with external judicial oversight by retired judge Sir Geoffrey Grigson, to report back to the Metropolitan Police Authority.^[26][27]-

On 3 November 2009, following his acquittal in a separate racial abuse trial, 42-year-old PC Mark Jones of 1 Area TSG was named as being involved with the attack on Babar Ahmad.^[28][29] The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, announced that he was taking the case "very seriously" while considering whether to prosecute PC Jones and the other officers involved in the alleged assault on Babar Ahmad.^[30]

In August 2010 it was announced that Police Constables Nigel Cowley, John Donohue, Roderick James-Bowen and Mark Jones would be prosecuted for their part in the alleged assault on Babar Ahmad.^[31] The trial began on Tuesday, 3 May 2011, at Southwark Crown Court, London.^[32] On 3 June 2011 they were found not guilty.^[33] A recording from an MI5 bug in Ahmad's home did not include any screams of agony and no officers could be heard mocking Ahmad's faith.^[34]

Monitoring of MP visit to Ahmad[link]

On 3 February 2008, The Sunday Times newspaper reported in 2008 that UK anti-terrorist police had covertly bugged prison visits between Babar Ahmad and his local MP, Sadiq Khan, Member of Parliament for Tooting. The bugged conversations took place at HM Prison Woodhill in May 2005 and June 2006.^[5]

This information was reportedly leaked to the press by Detective Constable Mark Kearney, the police intelligence officer who conducted the covert surveillance of the visits, in alleged contravention of the Wilson Doctrine that banned Government surveillance of politicians in 1966.^[35]

Following widespread international media coverage of the revelation, the previous Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw MP, announced in Parliament the day after the article was published that he had asked a retired High Court judge, Sir Christopher Rose, to conduct an official inquiry into the affair.^[36]

The Rose Inquiry reported back to the House of Commons later in February 2008, stating that the police had done nothing wrong, causing some commentators to dismiss the report as a whitewash.^[37][38]

In June 2011, the Houses of Parliament Joint Committee on Human Rights urged the UK government to change the law so that Babar Ahmad’s perpetual threat of extradition is ended without further delay. Since all the allegations against Babar Ahmad are said to have taken place in the UK, an e-poll was set up (needing 100,000 signatures) to call upon the British Government to put him on trial in the UK and support British Justice for British Citizens; the e-petition reached its 100,000 signature goal as of November 2, 2011. The e-petition closed on 10 November 2011 with 140,359 signatures.^[39]

Notes and references[link]

• "Isolating terrorists; preserving justice" - BBC News, last updated 21 May 2007.
• "Former U.S. Navy sailor arrested on terror charges" - CNN, 8 March 2007
• "UK pair lose US extradition fight" - BBC News, 30 November 2006
• "Islamic group holds protest march" - BBC News, 10 December 2005
• "UK orders terror suspect extradition to U.S." - CNN, 16 November 2005
• "Briton charged in terror conspiracy" - CNN, 7 October 2004
• "Terror suspect 'can be extradited'" - CNN, 17 May 2004
• "Terror suspect remains in custody" - CNN, 16 August 2004
• "Father defends terror suspect son" - BBC News, 8 August 2004
• "Terror suspect 'had Navy plans'" - CNN, 6 August 2004

External links[link]

• Official Support website
• Three Years In Captivity by Babar Ahmad
• Caged Prisoners entry for Babar Ahmad - Ahmad's poems, letters, articles, etc.
• http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/4737002._Cops_should_face_criminal_charges_following_Tooting_man_s_assault_/
• http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6901957.ece
• http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5934380.ece
• http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/885

Ahmad Rashād

Ahmad Rashād
No. 28, 27
Wide receiver
Personal information
Date of birth: (1949-11-19) November 19, 1949 (age 62)
Place of birth: Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Career information
College: Oregon
NFL Draft: 1972 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4
Debuted in 1972 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last played in 1982 for the Minnesota Vikings
Career history
St. Louis Cardinals (1972–1973) Buffalo Bills (1974–1976) Seattle Seahawks (1976) Minnesota Vikings (1976–1982)
Career highlights and awards
4× Pro Bowl selection (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981) 1× Second-team All-Pro selection (1979) 2× First-team All-Conference selection (1979, 1980) 3× Second-team All-Conference selection (1974, 1978, 1981) 1979 Pro Bowl MVP 50 Greatest Vikings
Career NFL statistics
Receptions 495 Receiving yards 6,831 Touchdowns 44 Stats at NFL.com
College Football Hall of Fame

Ahmad Rashād (born Robert Earl Moore on November 19, 1949) is an American sportscaster (mostly with NBC Sports) and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was the first skill-position player taken, following three linemen.

Rashād was converted back to wide receiver while with the Cardinals, where he played for two seasons. He then played for the Buffalo Bills (1974–1976), the Seattle Seahawks (1976), and, most notably, the Minnesota Vikings (1976–1982), where he earned four Pro Bowl selections from 1978 to 1981.

Early life[link]

Born Robert Earl Moore in Portland, Oregon, he graduated from Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, in 1967 and accepted a football scholarship to the University of Oregon. He is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

Football career[link]

Rashād graduated from the University of Oregon, where he played wide receiver as a sophomore in 1969; then was moved to running back where he was an All-American in 1971—playing with quarterback Dan Fouts. Rashād was named to the College Football Hall of Fame on May 9, 2007.^[1]

During his pro football career, Rashād caught 495 passes for 6,831 yards and 44 touchdowns, while also rushing for 52 yards. The standout catch of his career came in a December 1980 game against the Cleveland Browns. Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer threw a Hail Mary pass to Rashād that resulted in a come-from-behind 28-23 victory and a Central Division title for the Vikings. This became known as the Miracle Catch. Rashād also has the distinction of the longest play from scrimmage that didn't score a touchdown: 98 yards in a 1972 game against the Rams.

Rashād replaced the same receiver, John Gilliam, in both St. Louis and Minnesota.

Conversion to Islam[link]

In 1972, Moore converted to an offshoot of Islam, United Submitters International, and changed his name to Ahmad Rashād, which means "Admirable One Led To Truth" in Arabic. His last name comes from his mentor in St. Louis, Rashad Khalifa.

Broadcasting and television career[link]

After his football career, he covered NFL and NBA televised contests as a studio anchor and game reporter for NBC and ABC, as well as hosting NBA Inside Stuff. He also has hosted the video-clip show Real TV in 2000, the reality show Celebrity Mole, the game show Caesars Challenge along with co-host Dan Doherty, and NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad on the ABC network. He starred in an episode of Monsters. Rashād has also guest starred on several TV shows, mainly ones that starred his then wife Phylicia. He used to interview long-time friend Michael Jordan frequently while he was at NBC. Rashad worked on the NFL on NBC with O.J. Simpson.

Personal life[link]

Rashād has been married four times and divorced three. In 1969, he married his first wife Deidre Waters. They had a daughter, Keva, born in 1970. In addition he has a son, Sean, born out of wedlock also in 1970. In 1976, he married his second wife, Matilda Johnson. They had two children, daughter Maiyisha (born in 1976) and son Ahmad Jr. (born in 1978). They divorced in 1979.

In 1985, Rashād married Cosby Show actress Phylicia Ayers-Allen, to whom he proposed on national television during the pregame show of NBC's broadcast of the Thanksgiving Day football game between the Detroit Lions and the New York Jets.^[2] It was a third marriage for both. Unlike many actresses, she adopted his surname shortly after the wedding, and uses the name "Phylicia Rashād" professionally to this day. Out of this marriage, he gained a stepson Billy Bowles (born 1973). After a year of marriage, Ahmad and Phylicia had a daughter, Condola Phylea Rashād (named after his mother). After nearly sixteen years of marriage, Ahmad and Phylicia divorced in 2001.

In 2007, Rashād wed his fourth wife, Sale Johnson, the ex-wife of Johnson & Johnson billionaire and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson. He has gained three stepdaughters from this marriage.

• Casey Johnson (1979–2010)
• Jamie Johnson (b. 1982)^[3]
• Daisy Johnson (b. 1987)

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography portal

• Ahmad Rashād at the Internet Movie Database
• Ahmad Rashad, Executive Producer, NBA Inside Stuff
• College Football Hall of Fame - 2007 - Ahmad Rashad - (Bobby Moore)
• 1972 NFL Draft - from the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• TV acres.com - 1985 marriage
• NFL Stats - Career NFL Statistics