Syed Fahad Hashmi

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Syed Mehmood Ahmed Hashmi (born 1980) is a Pakistani American. He was arrested in London, England on June 6, 2006 based on an indictment from the United States charging him with providing material support to Al-Qaeda.

Biography

Early life and education

Hashmi was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1980, the second of two sons born to Syed Anwar Hashmi. Upon birth he was also given the name Fahad and that is how most people know him. He emigrated with his family to the United States when he was three years old. His family settled in Flushing, New York where he was raised and attended school.Fact|date=March 2008

He graduated from Robert F Wagner High School in 1998 and then attended SUNY Stony Brook. He eventually transferred to Brooklyn College [cite news |first=Michael |last=Elliott |title=Al-Qaeda now |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/05/27/time.alqaeda/ |publisher=CNN |date=2002-05-27 |quote=Fahad Hashmi, a Pakistani-American student, spoke at the meeting, praising the American Taliban, John Walker Lindh. ] , where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2003. A devout Muslim, through the years he established a reputation as an activist and advocate of the Islamic cause.Fact|date=March 2008 In 2003 he enrolled at London Metropolitan University in England to pursue a master’s degree in International relations which he received in 2006.Fact|date=March 2008

Arrest and terrorism charges

On June 6, 2006 he was arrested at Heathrow Airport based on an indictment from an American federal grand jury. The charges were of conspiring to send money and military gear to al Qaeda associates who lived in Pakistan [cite news |first=Anemona, and Al Baker |last=Hartocollis |title=U.S. Citizen Is Accused of Helping Al Qaeda |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/08/nyregion/08terror.html |work=New York Times |date=2006-06-08 ] and who were alleged to be supported by the testimony of Junaid Babar. [cite news |first=Kevin, and Michelle Garcia |last=Sullivan |title=Britain Holds Suspect in Al-Qaeda Case |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/07/AR2006060702287.html |work=Washington Post |date=2006-06-08 |page=A18 ] He was housed as a Category A, high security, prisoner at HM Prison Belmarsh while fighting extradition to the United States. In March 2007, the High Court of England and Wales ruled against him. [cite news |title=Terror suspect to be extradited |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6470399.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2007-03-20 ] He was then extradited to the United States in May 2007 [cite news |first=Alan |last=Feuer |title=In First for Britain, U.S. Citizen Is Extradited on Terror Charges |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/30/nyregion/30terror.html |work=New York Times |date=2007-05-30 ] and arraigned before District Judge Loretta A. Preska. [cite news |first=Larry |last=McShane |title=Terror Suspect Extradited to U.S. |url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3216096 |date=2007-05-26 ] Since he was extradited to the United States, he has been held in solitary confinement in the Special Housing Unit atal Metropolitan Correction Center in Manhattan, with no trial.

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