But on this occasion something was different — he was arrested, handcuffed, and hauled through London’s largest airport, then put into the back of a waiting police van.
As he arrived back at Heathrow, Rabbani was pulled aside by a police counterterrorism officer at the passport control desk.
In the interrogation room there were two police officers who searched all of Rabbani’s luggage and questioned him further about his travels — Whom did he meet?
Rabbani was aware of this crucial change and felt that the police were overstepping their recently narrowed authority.
Rabbani told the police that he would not turn over the passwords, and he was not going to change his mind.
The officers arrested and handcuffed him, then escorted him through the main concourse of the airport into the back of a police van.
He was taken to a nearby police station, held in a cell for about nine hours, and later released on bail. »