After they lost appeal against compensating Chiswick’s Lofti Raissi for wrongful arrest

Following the government’s failed appeal against his compensation claim, Chiswick resident Lofti Raissi has demanded a ‘long-awaited’ apology from Jack Straw over his arrest.

The 33 year old pilot, who was the first person accused of participating in the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, initially lost his claim for compensation in the High Court at the beginning of last year. However, following his appeal, he was granted permission to seek financial recompense.

The High Court stated that Raissi had been “completely exonerated” and heavily criticised the conduct of the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service. Jack Straw sought an appeal against Raissi’s claim for compensation, believed to be in the region of £3 million, but was refused.

Speaking after the ruling Mr Raissi said, “There can be no more appeals and no more excuses. The courts have held that I was the victim of a miscarriage of justice at the hands of the police and CPS. Jack Straw should accept the decision of the courts and offer me the long-awaited apology I have asked for.”

His wife Sonia Raissi, had her claim for damages rejected by a High Court in December 2007. She was seeking damages in excess of £150,000 in a High Court action against the Metropolitan Police.

However, her brother in law Mohamed, who lives in Hounslow, was granted compensation on the grounds that his arrest went no further than the family relationship and the fact that the two men lived near one another. "In my judgment those grounds were not sufficient to justify his arrest," said the presiding judge. The amount of compensation he will receive is yet to be determined.

May 23, 2008