Holyhead, Wales — A lawyer known for representing Hamas has filed a legal challenge against the home secretary and the chief constable of North Wales police, claiming he faced unlawful detention under the Terrorism Act. Fahad Ansari, who was questioned and had his mobile phone seized by police upon returning from a family vacation in Ireland, alleges that his detention was unjustified and that the authorities were improperly targeting him due to his legal work.
On August 6, Ansari was stopped by officers at the port of Holyhead, where he was returning with his wife and four children. He is contesting the police’s decision to detain him, interrogate him, and retain his work phone for examination. His legal counsel, Jude Bunting KC of Doughty Street Chambers, argues that the application of Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act—which allows officers to stop and search individuals at ports—should not be used against lawyers simply because they have represented clients of interest to law enforcement or intelligence agencies.
During the three-hour detention, Ansari reported that officers questioned him primarily about Palestine Action, a group recently added to the list of organizations banned under the Terrorism Act, and also about Hamas. He cited client confidentiality as a reason for refusing to answer many of the questions. Following the questioning, police copied the content of his phone.
Ansari expressed concern over the increasing targeting of lawyers representing controversial clients, a practice he argues could undermine the integrity of the legal profession. He emphasized that the real threat arises when lawyers avoid defending unpopular clients due to fear of public backlash or intimidation from the state.
In addition to his role as a consultant at Duncan Lewis solicitors, Ansari previously served as a principal solicitor at Riverway Law, which provided pro bono representation to Hamas in an effort to comply with sanctions. Following the submission of a legal application on behalf of Hamas, both Robert Jenrick, the shadow home secretary, and the Campaign Against Antisemitism reported Ansari to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
During his detention, Ansari detailed an incident where an officer expressed personal views about the proscription of Palestine Action, mentioning that even his wife believed the ban was unreasonable. He was also questioned on unrelated personal matters, including his A-level choices and social activities.
In his legal claim, Ansari is seeking an urgent injunction to prevent police from examining or sharing the contents of his work phone until his case is resolved, arguing that the information is predominantly protected by legal privilege. He stated that he was required to remove the security features from his phone or face arrest, and he underwent fingerprinting, photography, and DNA swabbing during the detention.
If his legal challenge proves successful, Ansari intends to pursue damages for trespass to property, false imprisonment, and other grievances related to his detention. As of now, the Home Office and the police have not responded to inquiries regarding the case. According to reports, police have indicated that they will not destroy the copied phone data until an independent counsel has reviewed it.
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