This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/8183344.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Profile: Ali Dizaei | Profile: Ali Dizaei |
| (about 18 hours later) | |
| Ali Dizaei was born in Iran and joined Thames Valley Police in 1986 | Ali Dizaei was born in Iran and joined Thames Valley Police in 1986 |
| Commander Ali Dizaei has been both a rising star and a thorn in the side of the Metropolitan Police. | |
| Flamboyant and outspoken, he has climbed the ranks while having the suspicions of the force repeatedly directed towards him personally. | Flamboyant and outspoken, he has climbed the ranks while having the suspicions of the force repeatedly directed towards him personally. |
| In turn, he has thrown the spotlight back on his own senior colleagues, consistently criticising them for presiding over - and even encouraging - racism within the Met. | In turn, he has thrown the spotlight back on his own senior colleagues, consistently criticising them for presiding over - and even encouraging - racism within the Met. |
| Now he has been found guilty of misconduct in a public office and perverting the course of justice. He will serve two years of a four-year sentence in prison, the remainder on licence. | |
| The charges relate to an incident outside a west London restaurant in July 2008 when a row broke out after Waad Al-Baghdadi demanded money from Dizaei for work done on his personal website. | The charges relate to an incident outside a west London restaurant in July 2008 when a row broke out after Waad Al-Baghdadi demanded money from Dizaei for work done on his personal website. |
| He accused Dizaei of then assaulting and falsely arresting him. | He accused Dizaei of then assaulting and falsely arresting him. |
| Dizaei told the court the allegations against him were like something from "an episode of Life on Mars or the Sweeney", but it seems the jury disagreed. | Dizaei told the court the allegations against him were like something from "an episode of Life on Mars or the Sweeney", but it seems the jury disagreed. |
| Tipped for success | Tipped for success |
| Other charges of misusing a corporate credit card were dropped in November after an inquiry found no evidence of wrongdoing. | Other charges of misusing a corporate credit card were dropped in November after an inquiry found no evidence of wrongdoing. |
| It is not the first time such controversy has come his way. | It is not the first time such controversy has come his way. |
| What you are suggesting is that we should have a new offence in this country called 'travelling whilst Asian' Ali Dizaei, speaking in 2006 | What you are suggesting is that we should have a new offence in this country called 'travelling whilst Asian' Ali Dizaei, speaking in 2006 |
| Born in Iran in 1962, Dizaei is the grandson of a police assistant commissioner. | Born in Iran in 1962, Dizaei is the grandson of a police assistant commissioner. |
| His father wanted him to have a British education, so he sent him to boarding school in West Sussex and he later went on to study law at London's City University. | His father wanted him to have a British education, so he sent him to boarding school in West Sussex and he later went on to study law at London's City University. |
| His police career eventually began in genteel Henley-upon-Thames in 1986. | His police career eventually began in genteel Henley-upon-Thames in 1986. |
| From the start, he was tipped for the top, and alongside his job, he managed to find time to study for an MA and then a doctorate. | From the start, he was tipped for the top, and alongside his job, he managed to find time to study for an MA and then a doctorate. |
| Once a chief inspector, he was made an adviser to the home secretary on race issues, before being transferred to the Met - and promoted to superintendent - in 1999. | Once a chief inspector, he was made an adviser to the home secretary on race issues, before being transferred to the Met - and promoted to superintendent - in 1999. |
| Fatefully, perhaps, it was the year in which the force was accused of institutional racism after the murder of Stephen Lawrence. | Fatefully, perhaps, it was the year in which the force was accused of institutional racism after the murder of Stephen Lawrence. |
| Corruption claims | Corruption claims |
| Once at the Met, Dizaei quickly showed his willingness to speak out, accusing the force of "ethnic cleansing" by using "culturally biased" tests to pick white officers for senior ranks. | Once at the Met, Dizaei quickly showed his willingness to speak out, accusing the force of "ethnic cleansing" by using "culturally biased" tests to pick white officers for senior ranks. |
| But he was also secretly suspected of wrongdoing himself. | But he was also secretly suspected of wrongdoing himself. |
| In 2000, he became the target of Operation Helios - which was to turn into the most expensive inquiry ever held into a single officer. | In 2000, he became the target of Operation Helios - which was to turn into the most expensive inquiry ever held into a single officer. |
| At an eventual cost of £2.2m, Dizaei's own colleagues investigated him over allegations of perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office and making false expense claims. | At an eventual cost of £2.2m, Dizaei's own colleagues investigated him over allegations of perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office and making false expense claims. |
| Dizaei repeatedly criticised former Met chief Sir Ian Blair | Dizaei repeatedly criticised former Met chief Sir Ian Blair |
| He was suspended from duty for two years and in 2003 stood trial at the Old Bailey. He was eventually cleared of all charges. | He was suspended from duty for two years and in 2003 stood trial at the Old Bailey. He was eventually cleared of all charges. |
| Speaking afterwards, Dizaei said he believed there had been a campaign to "destroy my life and my career". | Speaking afterwards, Dizaei said he believed there had been a campaign to "destroy my life and my career". |
| The then Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair later apologised, saying the inquiry had caused "considerable damage" to the force. | The then Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair later apologised, saying the inquiry had caused "considerable damage" to the force. |
| 'Scarface' | 'Scarface' |
| During the Helios court case, it emerged that Dizaei was intensely disliked by some of his more conservative colleagues. | During the Helios court case, it emerged that Dizaei was intensely disliked by some of his more conservative colleagues. |
| They reportedly took issue with his "flash" clothes, open marriage, love of nightclubs and interest in bodybuilding. | They reportedly took issue with his "flash" clothes, open marriage, love of nightclubs and interest in bodybuilding. |
| In his more recent trial, his accuser likened him to Hollywood movie gangster Tony Montana, Al Pacino's infamous character in Scarface. | In his more recent trial, his accuser likened him to Hollywood movie gangster Tony Montana, Al Pacino's infamous character in Scarface. |
| In turn, Dizaei bared his chest in the dock to show the jury where he himself had allegedly been injured. | In turn, Dizaei bared his chest in the dock to show the jury where he himself had allegedly been injured. |
| Other accusations levelled at him over the years - none of which was ever substantiated - included claims he used prostitutes and spied for Iran. | Other accusations levelled at him over the years - none of which was ever substantiated - included claims he used prostitutes and spied for Iran. |
| The father of three was eventually reinstated in October 2003. He planned to take the Met to court for discrimination, but after the force paid him a reported £80,000, he ended the action and returned to the role of unflinching critic. | The father of three was eventually reinstated in October 2003. He planned to take the Met to court for discrimination, but after the force paid him a reported £80,000, he ended the action and returned to the role of unflinching critic. |
| Mr Dizaei's court case concerned a row at a west London restaurant | Mr Dizaei's court case concerned a row at a west London restaurant |
| Soon after, he accused "very senior" officers of spreading a "cancer of racism". | Soon after, he accused "very senior" officers of spreading a "cancer of racism". |
| His comments prompted a formal call for ethnic minorities to boycott the Met by the National Black Police Association - an organisation which Dizaei went on to lead. | His comments prompted a formal call for ethnic minorities to boycott the Met by the National Black Police Association - an organisation which Dizaei went on to lead. |
| In 2006, he was again the focus of criticism after he attacked the Forest Gate anti-terror raid on two Muslim brothers and questioned the need for ethnic profiling of airline passengers. | In 2006, he was again the focus of criticism after he attacked the Forest Gate anti-terror raid on two Muslim brothers and questioned the need for ethnic profiling of airline passengers. |
| "What you are suggesting is that we should have a new offence in this country called 'travelling whilst Asian'," he said. | "What you are suggesting is that we should have a new offence in this country called 'travelling whilst Asian'," he said. |
| The following year he angered his superiors even more as he singled several out for blame for Operation Helios in his autobiography Not One Of Us. | The following year he angered his superiors even more as he singled several out for blame for Operation Helios in his autobiography Not One Of Us. |
| And more recently, he became a close confidant of former Met Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, who took legal action against the force over claims of racial discrimination. Mr Ghaffur later settled the case out of court. | And more recently, he became a close confidant of former Met Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, who took legal action against the force over claims of racial discrimination. Mr Ghaffur later settled the case out of court. |
| Indeed, Dizaei told his recent trial that he had refused to answer questions after being arrested because he thought he was being unfairly "targeted" over his support for Mr Ghaffur. | Indeed, Dizaei told his recent trial that he had refused to answer questions after being arrested because he thought he was being unfairly "targeted" over his support for Mr Ghaffur. |
| Nevertheless, he insisted in court: "I remain a loyal police officer." | Nevertheless, he insisted in court: "I remain a loyal police officer." |
| Newspaper damages | Newspaper damages |
| Despite these repeated run-ins with Met top brass, Dizaei continued to achieve in his career and was promoted to commander in March 2008. | Despite these repeated run-ins with Met top brass, Dizaei continued to achieve in his career and was promoted to commander in March 2008. |
| Dizaei was a confidant of Tarique Ghaffur who accused the Met of racism | Dizaei was a confidant of Tarique Ghaffur who accused the Met of racism |
| But barely six months later news emerged that he was being investigated once again over the most recent allegations. | But barely six months later news emerged that he was being investigated once again over the most recent allegations. |
| In December 2008, he hit back, announcing that he would, for the second time in his career, be bringing a case of racial discrimination against the force. | In December 2008, he hit back, announcing that he would, for the second time in his career, be bringing a case of racial discrimination against the force. |
| He has also successfully sued a number of newspapers, most recently in December 2009, when the News of the World apologised and paid damages after wrongly claiming he had "employed an illegal immigrant as his right-hand man". | He has also successfully sued a number of newspapers, most recently in December 2009, when the News of the World apologised and paid damages after wrongly claiming he had "employed an illegal immigrant as his right-hand man". |
| But following the guilty verdicts in this case, Dizaei who was suspended on full pay in September 2008, could face being sacked from the Metropolitan Police for gross misconduct. |