Academic with expertise on many countries in the Middle East; has extensive experience providing expert reports, including nationality assessment and document authentication reports.
Academic Qualifications: MA, Ph D.
Specific Areas of expertise: Middle East: Palestinians (Gaza Strip, West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan etc), Iraq (including Iraqi Kurds), Syria (including Syrian Kurds), Lebanon, Jordan, Gulf states (including Kuwaiti 'bidoun'), Libya. All aspects of asylum cases.
Experience of work with national or international organisations: Formerly Assistant Director, Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding. Formerly, Head of Research, Arab-British Chamber of Commerce.
Countries and 'in-country' areas visited: Almost every country in the Middle East and North Africa.
He has given written and oral evidence in the following six Iraq Country Guidance cases: LM (Educated women – Chaldo-Assyrians – risk) Iraq CG [2006] UKAIT 00060; (SI (expert evidence - Kurd - SM confirmed) Iraq CG [2008] UKAIT 00094; SR (Iraqi Arab Christian: relocation to KRG) Iraq CG [2009] UKAIT 00038; MK (documents – relocation) Iraq CG [2012] UKUT 00126 (IAC); HM and others (Article 15(c)) Iraq CG [2012] UKUT 00409 (IAC); and BA (Returns to Baghdad) Iraq CG [2017] UKUT 00018 (IAC); in the three most recent Syria Country Guidance cases, AR (Kurd: not risk per se) Syria CG [2006]; SA and IA (Undocumented Kurds) Syria CG [2009] UKAIT 00006; and KB (Failed asylum seekers and forced returnees) Syria CG UKUT 00426 (IAC); and in the two most recent Palestinian Territories Country Guidance cases: MA (Palestinian Arabs – Occupied Territories – Risk) Palestinian Territories CG [2007] UKAIT 00017; HS (Palestinian – return to Gaza) Palestinian Territories CG [2011] UKUT 124 (IAC). He also gave written and oral evidence in the Country Guidance cases of KK IH HE (Palestinians - camps) Lebanon CG [2004]; and AT and Others (Article 15c; risk categories) Libya CG [2014] UKUT 318 (IAC).
'Syria: Neither Bread Nor Freedom', Zed Books, London, 2003.
'Jordan: Living in the Crossfire' , Zed Books, London/New York, October 2005.
Many articles published in a 20-year journalistic career.