29 June 2004
The wife and brother of Lotfi Raissi, the UK based pilot falsely accused of being the 'chief Instructor' to the 9/11 terrorist hijackers served High Court proceedings on the Commissioner of Police today.
Sonia Raissi and Lotfi married at Hounslow Civic Centre in November 2000 and set up home in Colnbrook Berkshire. Lotfi's elder brother, Mohamed Raissi, lived nearby with his wife Noor in Hounslow.
On 21 September 2001 anti-terrorist squad officers raided their homes shortly after 3.00am while they were asleep. They were stunned when officers told them that they were under arrest for the 9/11 attacks in the US.
Sonia was virtually naked and Mohamed was forced to strip before officers ordered them to put on white paper suits. They were held incommunicado under the Terrorism Act in cells at Paddington Green police station. They were repeatedly interviewed by anti-terrorist officers. Both were released without charge; Mohamed after two days and Sonia after five days.
Jules Carey of Tuckers Solicitors outlined their claims; Mr Carey said "Sonia and Mohamed's claims against the Commissioner are for false imprisonment in relation to their unlawful detention and assault in respect of the unlawful or excessive force used on them. They are also asking the court to award damages for the humiliation and loss of dignity that they suffered and a punitive award for the arbitrary, oppressive and unconstitutional conduct of the police".
Sonia said "There was not a shred of evidence that Lotfi had ever been connected to terrorism. He was not even charged with terrorism just stupid minor charges that the Judge threw out anyway. Our lives have been ruined by what we were put through. At the time of my arrest I was working for Air France in Heathrow. I had just been promoted but because of the police my security pass was blocked and I lost my job".
"As a Catholic, female cabaret dancer, I can't believe that the police ever really thought that I was an Al Qaeda terrorist linked to 9/11. I lost my home, my job and for a while my husband; I now want an apology and my life back".
Mohamed 32 said "My wife Noor had been working for an Airline and had just accepted a job with Virgin when as a result of my arrest her security pass was withdrawn and she lost the job. England has been my home for ten years. I still have no idea why the police arrested me but it has caused a lot of suffering in my family. It is time for the police to put things right".