A Moroccan terror suspect held in Britain has lost his appeal against extradition to Spain.
Farid Hilali, 38, has been held since September 2003 and is allegedly connected to the 11 September attacks.
His lawyers claim there is no evidence against him and say he has been tortured by UK intelligence agents.
But judges sitting at London’s High Court ruled: «None of the reasons put forward amounts to a ground why the appellant should not be extradited.»
Mr Hilali was originally arrested in September 2003 in Kennington, south London, under the Terrorism Act 2000.
He was not charged, but was discovered to have entered the country illegally and was detained at London’s Belmarsh prison.
‘Abuse of process’
His removal was sanctioned by the courts in June last year, but his lawyers had appealed against that decision.
Alun Jones QC, for Mr Hilali, described that ruling as an «abuse of process» and said there was a lack of evidence against his client.
Mr Hilali said the extradition request was being used to obtain his eventual return to Morocco, where he said he would be «immediately arrested and tortured again».
If he does not appeal the High Court ruling within 14 days he will be extradited.
