McHate mailer targets Asian grad
Police have launched an investigation into allegations that Nadeem Ahmed, a graduate student from Hertford College, was sent racist emails telling him to quit the University. The offensive messages told Ahmed, who had been studying Mediaeval Arabic, that he would be better suited to a future working in McDonald's.
The emails are believed to have been sent by fellow students at Oxford. Thames Valley Police told the OxStu that two students had been questioned in connection with the allegations, and that computer equipment had subsequently been seized. "One person has been bailed pending further inquiries," confirmed a police spokesperson, "while the other has been released without charge".
Lawyers for Ahmed and the University went to Oxford County Court on the 19th March to examine points of law over the allegations of racism. The judge requested more information to be exchanged between both parties, so that legal arguments could be prepared.
Nadeem Ahmed was involved in another legal battle in Michaelmas Term 2000. He then took the University to Court after the Oriental Institute refused to provide him with a tutor, after he failed two "informal tests" set by his Oxford supervisor, Dr Fritz Zimmermann. His claim was not upheld, but Ahmed is still pursuing a private prosecution against Zimmermann for racial discrimination.
Nadeem Ahmed was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press. However, a friend said that the emails Ahmed was sent were "particularly distressing and unfair, given that Nadeem has already had to take legal action against discrimination".
26th Apr 2001