Main content

Internet Jihadi: Babar Ahmad

British jihadi Babar Ahmad's journey from a privileged upbringing in South London to a US jail. Dominic Casciani talks to the man accused of working as an al-Qaeda propagandist.

How does a middle class boy from Tooting end up, in middle age, pleading guilty to terrorism offences in a US court?

British Muslim Babar Ahmad has been convicted in a court in Connecticut of providing support to terrorists. In the late 1990s, Ahmad founded the first English language jihadi website. Two years after 9/11, he was arrested and then spent nearly a decade fighting extradition to the United States. The US authorities claimed that Ahmad's actions helped garner support for al-Qaeda. Ahmad maintains that he has only ever tried to assist Muslims suffering at the hands of oppressive regimes.

BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Dominic Casciani traces Ahmad's journey from a privileged upbringing in South London to a US prison. The programme contains insights from those who witnessed Ahmad's radicalisation and an interview with Ahmad himself, recorded in prison.

Reporter: Dominic Casciani
Producer: Keith Moore.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Thu 17 Jul 201420:00

Broadcast

  • Thu 17 Jul 201420:00

Featured in...

Download this programme

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.

The Best of The Report

The Best of The Report

Listen again to the best investigations from The Report team