Three men alleged to be key members of an Islamic State-affiliated terror group that plotted to conduct attacks across Europe and kidnap diplomats are fighting their extradition from Britain, the Guardian of UK has reported.
Bakr Hamad, Zana Rahim and Awat Hamasalih held senior positions in Rawti Shax, a “trans-national, radical and fundamentalist group”, whose purpose was to carry out violent acts in the west, it is claimed.
Via cells in Britain, Italy, Germany, Greece, Sweden, Finland and Norway, as well as Middle Eastern nations, it aimed to “intimidate the population and to put pressure on public powers and international organisations”, according to prosecutors.
The Sunni-Kurdish group’s primary objective was to overthrow the government of Kurdistan and establish a caliphate alongside Isis territory in Syria. Suspects held across Europe in alleged plot to kidnap Norwegian diplomats.
Hamad, 38, of Kingston-upon-Hull, Rahim, 32, of Derby and Hamasalih, 38, of Birmingham, were arrested last Thursday as part of coordinated raids across Europe led by the Italian authorities. A total of 13 people were taken into custody in Italy, Norway and the UK as part of the investigation. They all denied consent for extradition at an earlier hearing.
The men’s lawyers explained they would be challenging the extradition on grounds of refoulment, the illegal returning of refugees. They may also invoke article two (right to life) and article three (prohibition of torture) of the European convention on human rights.
A fourth man arrested last Thursday was earlier told he no longer faced action. Sharif Kadir, of Gleadless Road, Sheffield, appeared ahead of the extradition hearing.