Family lawyer is no stranger to controversy
BEGUM family lawyer Tasnime Akunjee has earned a reputation as a fiery defender of Islamists and a bitter critic of the anti-terror authorities.
The outspoken solicitor bills himself as a specialist in terror cases and has travelled across the globe representing suspects.
He appears to enjoy the limelight afforded by his more controversial clients and is quick to provide the odd inflammatory soundbite.
Mr Akunjee, a sole practitioner, introduces himself on his website with a quote from Sixties civil rights campaigner Malcolm X: “A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.”
He once shared a platform with Cage, the much-criticised pressure group which became notorious for defending Islamic State executioner Jihadi John.
His argument that day was that Britain had created a “Jekyll and Hyde, two-tier legal system” which was a “breeding-ground for fascism”.
Mr Akunjee also penned an article on the group’s website, suggesting Michael Adebolajo, murderer of soldier Lee Rigby, was “created” by the security services.
He also suggested it is not extremist to call for the death of British soldiers because “it is a actually a soldier’s job to die”.
Based in Brentford, west London, he has argued that no Muslim should cooperate with anti-terror police and accused Prevent, the Government anti-radicalisation body of “spying on the community”.
His previous clients have included Abu Nusaybah, an Adebolajo associate who was jailed for terrorist offences for three years.