,?her innocent family should be forced to go through the same nightmare we went through,’ said Humeya Kalam, the sister of brothers Abdul Kahar and Abul Koyair, yesterday
She was addressing several hundred demonstrators outside New Scotland Yard.
Protesters from a coalition of Muslim and anti-war organisations were holding a ‘rally for justice’ over the massive pre-dawn police raid on the Kalam family’s Forest Gate home, during which police shot Abdul Kahar without warning.
The two brothers were arrested and held at Paddington Green high security police station for a week before being released last Friday night without charge or apology.
In a statement on behalf of the Kalam family she said: ‘On behalf of my family, especially my two brothers, I would like to thank all those people who through their prayers have supported us during this traumatic ordeal.
‘We are very relieved to have them back after the hell we went through last week.
‘My brothers would like to have come today to show unity. However, they are unable to do so because they are still recovering from their injuries, both physically as well as mentally.
‘Once again I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of my family for organising this peaceful protest.’
A speaker for the Muslim Council of Britain told the rally: ‘We have the same right to security as everyone else in this country.
‘We are demanding an independent public inquiry, into how 250 officers were sent on the basis of false intelligence. We have to know what happened.’
The father of young Babar Ahmad, who faces extradition to the US, told the rally: ‘The government seem to be against foreigners and Muslims.
‘The policeman who shot dead Jean Charles de Menezes was sent on holiday with his family.
‘The two Forest Gate brothers have had to be released without charge.
‘My son is being held with no evidence against him. They deny us our basic rights.’
Respect MP George Galloway told News Line at the rally: ‘My message is the two Blairs, Sir Ian Blair and Tony Blair, must go.
‘Tony Blair is responsible for placing the people of this country in serious danger.
‘By the foreign policy of the government, and security and intelligence policies at home, they are angering people and undermining the confidence of people who could help us protect ourselves from danger.’
Mujibul Islam of the Young Muslim Organisation UK told News Line: ‘We are here to demonstrate against Muslims being targeted and criminalised.
‘We want to stop innocent people being killed.
‘Abdul Kahar is very lucky to be alive but the police don’t seem to learn from the killing of the innocent young Brazilian man, Jean Charles de Menezes.
‘There needs to be an apology now for the raid in Forest Gate, the wounding of a young man and the detention of him and his brother for a week.
‘There must be an apology to the family. I absolutely back any decision they make to sue the police.
‘Police actions are causing anger and distrust.’
