Imran Khan's post-Crevice Trial Statement

Below is a transcript of Imran Khan's statement, given outside the Old Bailey, on behalf of the 5 (of 7) men convicted in the Crevice trial that ended on 30/04/07:

I'm giving this statement on behalf of those defendants convicted today, that is Omar Khyam, Anthony Garcia, Waheed Mahmood, Jawad Akbar, and Salahuddin Amin. These are their words that they wish me to read out:

In the name of Allah the merciful, the compassionate, we bear witness there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, and Mohammed as his messenger.

This was a prosecution driven by the security services, able to hide behind a cloak of secrecy, and eager to obtain ever greater resources and power to encroach on individual rights.

There was no limit to the money, resources and underhand strategies that were used to secure convictions in this case.

This case was brought in an atmosphere of hostility against Muslims, at home, and abroad. One stoked by this government throughout the course of this case.

This prosecution involved extensive intrusion upon personal lives, not only ours, but our families and friends.

Coached witnesses were brought forward. Forced confessions were gained through illegal detention, and torture abroad. Threats and intimidation was used to hamper the truth. All with the trial judge seemingly intent to assist the prosecution almost every step of the way.

These were just some of the means used in the desperate effort to convict. Anyone looking impartially at the evidence would realise that there was no conspiracy to cause explosions in the UK, and that we did not pose any threat to the security of this country.

It is not an offence to be young, Muslim and angry at the global injustices against Muslims.

Allah says in the Qur'an, "Oh mankind, worship your Lord who created you, and those before you, that you may become righteous."

And that's the end of the statement. Thank you.

An MP3 audio recording of Imran Khan's statement can be found here, courtesy of J7: The July 7th Truth Campaign.

The July 7th Truth Campaign believes that the complaints and allegations made by the defendants in their statement should be taken very seriously, especially in the light of the numerous miscarriages of justice in cases of alleged Irish terrorism.

The end of the Crevice trial has resulted in renewed calls for an Independent Public Inquiry into the events of 7th July 2005. J7 wish to reiterate the point - as previously made by Amnesty International, the Law Society of England and Wales and Geraldine Finucane, the widow of murdered Irish Human Rights lawyer, Patrick Finucane - that under the Inquiries Act 2005, which passed into law on 7 June 2005, full control of all inquiries is held by the executive, meaning there can be no such thing as a truly 'independent' or 'public' inquiry.