“My brother has nothing to do with terrorism,” says Ramda’s brother

Algerian born Rachid Ramda was sentenced life in prison by a French national security appeals court Friday for a 1995 series of bombings in France.

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• Ramda, 39, has always denied his involvement in the attacks, which killed eight people and wounded some 200.
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• In 1995, he was arrested in London where he served almost 10 years in prison. He was extradited to Paris in 2005 and was sentenced to life in prison.
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• In 2006, he was accused of organising attacks carried out by two other Algerians of life in prison. He was sentenced then to 10 years in prison.
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• Ramda’s brother Lazhar said he told him on the phone that the UK’s security forces arrested him on charges he had nothing to do with them. “My only guilt is that I come from Algeria,” Rachid told his brother.
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• He was arrested as he was named Ilyes Abu Firas while Ramda said he had no idea about this name. “Rachid said he was not involved in the Algiers airport bombings as he left Algeria when he was 19. There was no terrorist act at that time.”
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• Ramda’s family decided to hire lawyers but visa applications were rejected.
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• They received a letter from him in May 2007 he had sent in December 2005. His family is not allowed to visit him in prison and hire defence lawyers for him.
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• “My brother speaks seven languages, writes poems in English and he is an artist. How can he be a terrorist?”