The solicitor, who submitted a court application on behalf of Hamas, asserts he was detained unlawfully under the Terrorism Act.
Ansari was questioned at the Welsh border crossing on August 6 while traveling back after a vacation in Dublin.
Judicial Review Launched
The solicitor is challenging the decision to question him, seize his business device, and keep a digital image of the device.
According to court filings, the use of Terrorism Act powers is improper against a lawyer solely on the basis that they have represented a organization under scrutiny.
Detention Details
He revealed that a large part of the questioning was about a recently banned group and Hamas.
He did not provide answers invoking professional secrecy.
“In the decade working in national security cases, it’s unheard of for lawyers in England to be targeted to this extent due to their clients.”
Ansari noted that what really undermines the reputation of the legal profession is when controversial figures cannot secure legal representation due to fear.
Professional Background
The lawyer holds a legal consultant post at a law firm, having previously been director and principal solicitor at a previous practice.
Riverway Law worked on behalf of the organization free of cost to comply with legal prohibitions.
Additional Claims
Throughout the detention, Ansari states an interviewer said that “many people think the ban is ludicrous.”
Additionally, he was included inquiries on his educational background and social habits.
He was held for several hours, during which he was fingerprinted and instructed to delete his face ID or risk detention.
Remedies Sought
As part of the legal claim, his legal team is requesting an court order to bar police from accessing the device data.
He argues that the contents are subject to client confidentiality.
If successful, he will pursue compensation for unlawful detention, trespass to property, and violation of personal rights.
Both the Home Office nor the law enforcement responded publicly on the allegations.
