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Britons allege maltreatment by policemen

Businessmen Mohammed Rafiq Siddique, 38, and Alam Ghafoor, 34, were held for 10 days. During this time they say they were deprived of sleep and endured verbal abuse and threats. They were released on July 30 without charge. It is believed another British national, who lives in Dubai, and a Pakistani national were also held.

All three have returned to Britain. Siddique and Ghafoor both claim they were arrested in a hotel's restaurant in Dubai on July 21.

Talking to BBC Radio 4, Ghafoor said: “They marched us outside at gunpoint, put us into the back of a car, handcuffed and blindfolded, and drove us off.”

“I thought they were going to shoot us,” Ghafoor added.

Both claim they were accused of being linked to the bomb attacks in London on July 7.

Alam Ghafoor alleges that his detainers said that the British security services had requested he be detained for questioning.

Siddique believes that the authorities may have linked him to one of the London suicide bombers — Mohammed Siddique Khan. Both hail from Dewsbury in West Yorkshire.

A Dubai police officer yesterday refused to comment on the issue.

However, the British Embassy in Dubai knew about the arrests. Vicky Lee-Gorton, Second Secretary, Political and Media Affairs at the British Embassy, confirmed the incident. “We were aware the men were being detained, and this was confirmed to us by the Dubai authorities on July 21,” she said.

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