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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Faryadi Sarwar Zardad: UK deports warlord who tortured Afghans | Faryadi Sarwar Zardad: UK deports warlord who tortured Afghans |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| A former Afghan warlord has been deported by the UK after being jailed for torture during the 1990s civil war. | A former Afghan warlord has been deported by the UK after being jailed for torture during the 1990s civil war. |
| Faryadi Sarwar Zardad was convicted in 2005 and given 20 years in prison in a landmark trial under a UN torture law. | Faryadi Sarwar Zardad was convicted in 2005 and given 20 years in prison in a landmark trial under a UN torture law. |
| He had fled to the UK in 1998 on false papers and claimed asylum but was eventually tracked down by the BBC. | He had fled to the UK in 1998 on false papers and claimed asylum but was eventually tracked down by the BBC. |
| About 100 supporters gathered at Kabul airport to greet Zardad, a former leading Hezb-e-Islami commander. Rights campaigners queried his early release. | About 100 supporters gathered at Kabul airport to greet Zardad, a former leading Hezb-e-Islami commander. Rights campaigners queried his early release. |
| Zardad was whisked away on arrival at Kabul airport in a fleet of vehicles, Pajhwok news reported. | Zardad was whisked away on arrival at Kabul airport in a fleet of vehicles, Pajhwok news reported. |
| Human rights groups said his many victims would find the hero's welcome painful to watch. | Human rights groups said his many victims would find the hero's welcome painful to watch. |
| 'Brutal regime' | 'Brutal regime' |
| Zardad fled Afghanistan after the Taliban took power in 1996 and sought political asylum in the UK under a false identity. | Zardad fled Afghanistan after the Taliban took power in 1996 and sought political asylum in the UK under a false identity. |
| He was tracked down by a BBC investigation in 2000 and arrested in 2003. | He was tracked down by a BBC investigation in 2000 and arrested in 2003. |
| As there was no request from the Afghan authorities, Britain decided to proceed with a prosecution. | As there was no request from the Afghan authorities, Britain decided to proceed with a prosecution. |
| His trial heard how hundreds of thousands of people trying to flee to safety from Kabul were at his mercy. | His trial heard how hundreds of thousands of people trying to flee to safety from Kabul were at his mercy. |
| He had controlled the checkpoint on the Kabul-Nangarhar highway between 1991 and 1996 - the main road between Kabul and Pakistan during some of the heaviest fighting in the civil war. | |
| Sentencing, the judge said he had presided over a brutal regime of terror and his crimes had been so serious that they transcended national boundaries. | Sentencing, the judge said he had presided over a brutal regime of terror and his crimes had been so serious that they transcended national boundaries. |
| It was thought to be the first time torture offences committed in one country had been prosecuted in another. | It was thought to be the first time torture offences committed in one country had been prosecuted in another. |
| The British embassy in Kabul refused to comment on his case but said foreign nationals serving custodial sentences in the UK were routinely considered for deportation. | The British embassy in Kabul refused to comment on his case but said foreign nationals serving custodial sentences in the UK were routinely considered for deportation. |
| Zardad is currently in the custody of Afghanistan's NDS intelligence agency. Correspondents say there are no plans to bring a case against him. | Zardad is currently in the custody of Afghanistan's NDS intelligence agency. Correspondents say there are no plans to bring a case against him. |
| Earlier this year the Afghan government signed a peace deal with Hezb-e Islami. After the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001, it became the country's second largest militant group. | Earlier this year the Afghan government signed a peace deal with Hezb-e Islami. After the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001, it became the country's second largest militant group. |