Chiswick woman alleges wrongful arrest and false imprisonment

The wife and brother of the pilot falsely accused of involvement in the 9/11 terror attacks have begun their courtroom battle for damages.

Chiswick resident Sonia Raissi, whose Algerian husband Lofti was held in jail for 5 months, and her brother-in-law Mohamed Raissi, are each seeking damages in excess of £150,000 in their High Court action against the Metropolitan Police.

Lofti Raissi, who was the first person accused of participating in the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, lost his claim for compensation in the High Court earlier this year.

Lord Justice Auld and Mr Justice Wilkie ruled that his detention was as part of an extradition case that was not "in the domestic criminal process" and thus did not come within the compensation scheme.

The three were arrested at gunpoint 10 days after the September 11th attacks. Lofti Raissi was released on bail in February 2002 and exonerated by a judge who ruled that there was no evidence against him.

Sonia Raissi and her brother-in-law claim their arrests by anti-terrorist police on September 21 2001, were "unlawful" and that they were falsely imprisoned.

The case continues.

November 14, 2007