Afghan men 'who plotted to kill one of their daughters' after she converted from Islam to Judaism and became a porn star will be extradited from the UK to face trial

  • Mohammed Patman, 55, and his cousin Darya Khan Safi, 50, were granted asylum in the UK after working as informants during the Iraq War
  • Three years ago, Patman's daughter moved to Slovakia with her Jewish husband, converted to Judaism and now helps him run a porn store while starring in films 
  • Patman allegedly recruited Safi in a plot to kill Khadija, 27, for 'disgracing' him 
  • Judge ruled the pair should be extradited from the UK to Slovakia to face trial

Two Afghan men who allegedly plotted to kill one of their daughters after she converted to Judaism and became a porn star are to be extradited from the UK. 

Mohammed Patman, 55, and his cousin Darya Khan Safi, 50, are accused of plotting to assassinate Patman's 27-year-old daughter Khadija Cohen after she moved to Slovakia with her Jewish husband.

Patman, of Ilford, and Safi, of Coventry, had been granted asylum in Britain after providing British and American forces with intelligence during the Iraq War.

But a judge ordered their extradition to Slovakia on Monday after the National Crime Agency said the pair took multiple trips to the eastern European country to carry out surveillance on Ms Cohen, who they accused of 'disgracing' their family. 

She moved to Slovakia three years ago, converted to Judaism and helped her husband run an erotic photography business, which she also starred in.

Mohammed Patman (left) and Darya Khan Safi (right), are accused of plotting to assassinate Patman's 27-year-old daughter Khadija Cohen after she moved to Slovakia with her Jewish husband

Mohammed Patman (left) and Darya Khan Safi (right), are accused of plotting to assassinate Patman's 27-year-old daughter Khadija Cohen after she moved to Slovakia with her Jewish husband

The Slovakian government requested Patman and Safi's extradition from the UK in August last year and, in February, a district judge ordered them to be extradited.

Patman and Safi appealed against the decision, with their lawyers arguing it would not be in the interests of justice for them to be extradited to Slovakia to face charges.

But in a judgment published on Monday, Mr Justice Swift rejected their appeal, saying he could see 'no good reason to conclude that the district judge reached the wrong conclusion'.

Mr Justice Swift said in his ruling: 'It is alleged that Mr Patman and Mr Safi took steps to murder Ms Cohen because they believed she had disgraced her family by her choice of husband, by converting from Islam to Judaism, and by her choice of career.

'Ms Cohen lives with her husband in Slovakia. She is described as having her permanent residence there. It appears that before living in Slovakia, Ms Cohen and her husband lived in Austria.

'It is alleged that in August 2018 Mr Safi flew to Slovakia and was "actively searching" for Ms Cohen.

'It is alleged he met with Ramazan Kalandar and asked him to find someone who could find Ms Cohen, take pictures of her and lure her somewhere where she could be kidnapped and then killed, either by that person or by one or other of Mr Safi or Mr Patman.

'It is said that Mr Kalandar was offered 50,000 euros, and that there is evidence that surveillance of Ms Cohen took place.

'It is alleged that Mr Patman travelled to Slovakia in October 2018 and looked up information about where Ms Cohen lived and where she worked.

'It is said that he also met with Mr Kalandar on several occasions asking him to find someone either to help them kill Ms Cohen or to kill Ms Cohen for them.

'Next it is said that Mr Patman travelled to Austria for a week in late January 2019 searching for Ms Cohen's former residence.

'It is claimed that he monitored that location for about a week and during this time was in regular contact with Mr Safi.

'Mr Patman then travelled to Slovakia in February 2019 and spent time surveying where Ms Cohen lived and where she worked.'

Mr Justice Swift ruled that although Mr Patman and Mr Safi have 'relevant connections' in the UK, 'that is not determinative in either case'.

He said: 'What is alleged in each EAW (European Arrest Warrant) is that Mr Patman and Mr Safi took steps to plan Ms Cohen's murder.

Patman and Safi allegedly both took trips to Slovakia, travelling via Austria by car (pictured: the Slovakian border)

Patman and Safi allegedly both took trips to Slovakia, travelling via Austria by car (pictured: the Slovakian border)

'Ms Cohen lives and works in Slovakia. Mr Patman and Mr Safi both spent time in Slovakia looking for Ms Cohen and surveilling where she lived and her place of work.

'It is alleged they sought Mr Kalandar's help in Slovakia. Looking at this case in the round... it cannot be said that the interests of justice weigh against the extradition of either appellant.'

The judgment says Patman also argued that if convicted in Slovakia he faced a 'real risk' either that he would be imprisoned for life without the chance of parole or that he would be unable to make an application for parole until he had served at least 25 years.

The former scenario would amount to ill treatment under human rights laws, it was argued, and the latter 'required consideration' under rules relating to EAWs.

And Safi argued he should not be extradited on health grounds.

However, Mr Justice Swift rejected both of these arguments.

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