A 25 year-old investigative journalist who has worked for the BBC
and ITV has been awarded £175,000 at the Royal Courts of Justice
following his victory over an Albanian newspaper which accused him of
being a terrorist.
Muhamed Veliu, an Albanian born journalist,
has been fighting the case since the newspaper Bota Sot alleged that he
was a bogus asylum seeker linked to the 7/7 bombers.
Veliu said:
“This sends a clear message to people that I do not have any connection
to terrorism and refutes the accusation by Bota Sot who were aiming to
destroy my career which I have spent five years trying to build up.”
In his judgement today Mr Justice Eady said that there has never been “any suggestion that the story was true”.
Eady said: "There is no doubt that the allegation made against the claimant in this article was one of the gravest imaginable.
"He
confirmed that, as one would expect, he suffered great distress and
embarrassment and was indeed anxious for his physical safety.
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