A British engineer is in jail in Iraq and facing extradition to Qatar over missed repayments on a small bank loan, in a case said to highlight the perils facing those travelling to the Gulf state for the World Cup.
Brian Glendinning, 43, who had been contracted to work on a BP refinery in Iraq, was arrested on an Interpol “red notice” at Baghdad airport on 12 September and has been in a police cell since awaiting an extradition hearing.
The Qatari government is yet to file its request for extradition but Glendinning was informed on arrest that an Interpol notice had been issued by Qatar over missed payments, on what family members said had been an £20,000 loan taken out in 2018 when he had worked in the country.
Glendinning’s wife, Kimberly, 39, a beauty therapist, said her husband had struggled to make the full payments after becoming ill this Christmas and losing his job in Scotland but that monthly instalments had still been made to the Qatar National Bank with whom he was in regular touch.
Radha Stirling, the founder of IPEX, an NGO seeking reform of Interpol and the extradition process, said the use of a red notice over such a minor issue should be taken as a warning to football fans travelling to the World Cup, which starts in Qatar on 20 November.
Stirling said that Qatar had a history of abusing the Interpol system, through which the relatives of those targeted were often forced to pay out sums in excess of that owed in order to avoid their loved ones facing lengthy jail sentences.
The case raises concerns that the smallest transgression by travelling fans could be used as an excuse by the Qatar government to chase British nationals once the finals are finished.
Qatar is preparing to host 1.2 million visitors for the World Cup, including fans travelling to watch England and Wales. Former England captain David Beckham has signed a lucrative deal to promote the finals, a move that his former Manchester United teammate Eric Cantona described as a “big mistake” given Qatar’s human rights record.
Stirling said: “We will make every diplomatic and legal effort to save Brian from extradition. Qatar is making itself a nuisance and costing taxpayers a lot of money.
“We’ve helped Brits arrested in Spain [on an Interpol notice issued by Qatar], many times, the Czech Republic, Italy, Denmark, Ukraine and so on. The police and court time is costly and the victim can be unfairly detained throughout the trial.
“It’s a human rights issue and clearly highlights Qatar’s intimate relationship with Interpol. With the World Cup coming up, Qatar should be mindful of rights attacks towards foreigners.”
Glendinning, a father of three from Kincardine, west of Edinburgh, could face a lengthy imprisonment in Baghdad as the Iraqi authorities do not enforce the general rule that an extradition request should be made within 45 days of arrest.
His brother, John, 39, said: “Brian is a hardworking man who has always put his family first. He is the life and soul of any family occasion or party, where he earns the name happy feet, given to his dancing skills. Anyone who meets Brian ends up calling him friend, much loved and well liked in the village of Kincardine where he was brought up and still lives today.”
