A Scottish man reportedly held in Iraq over a bank debt is facing extradition to the World Cup host nation of Qatar.
Brian Glendinning, 43, a construction engineer from Kincardine, Fife, was contracted to work on a BP refinery in Iraq.
But on September 12, reports show he was arrested on an Interpol "red notice" at Baghdad airport and has since been held in a police cell awaiting an extradition hearing.
Mr Glendinning reportedly fell ill when he worked in Qatar and attempted to return home before he could settle his debt.
He allegedly took out a £20,000 loan with Qatar National Bank in 2018 before returning home when his Qatari work contract was terminated, reports The Sun. He was picked up by the authorities after travelling to Iraq for work. He is reportedly facing up to two years in prison.
Relatives of the father-of-three said Mr Glendinning went to Iraq to earn money to take care of his family and his bills. They said his arrest over what appears to be a small bank debt in Qatar came as "a huge shock".
Radha Stirling, the founder of Ipex, an NGO seeking reform of Interpol and the extradition process, said Qatar National Bank seeks the extradition of Mr Glendinning from Iraq over a small bank loan. She said with the World Cup starting in Qatar on November 20, the use of a red notice over such an issue should be taken as a warning to football fans heading to the Gulf state.
The country is preparing to host 1.2 million visitors for the World Cup, including fans travelling to watch England and Wales. Ms Stirling said Qatar has a history of wrongfully using Interpol notices "as a debt collection tactic akin to extortion".
"They wait for a customer to be arrested and hope the parents will dispose of assets and pay the debt themselves," she said. "The bank usually asks for substantially more than what was owed, knowing parents will pay anything to keep their children out of jail."
She added: "We will make every diplomatic and legal effort to save Brian from extradition. We've helped Brits arrested in Spain [on an Interpol notice issued by Qatar], many times, the Czech Republic, Italy, Denmark, Ukraine and so on. The police and court time is costly and the victim can be unfairly detained throughout the trial.
"It’s a human rights issue and clearly highlights Qatar’s intimate relationship with Interpol. With the World Cup coming up, Qatar should be mindful of rights attacks towards foreigners.
“I spoke with Brian’s mother Margaret. She was distraught and in tears. It really is a nightmare for family members. We are offering our full support to Brian’s family and legal team as an expert witness. I am confident we will bring Brian home”.
Mr Glendinning's family said he "needs urgent help or risks extradition to Qatar where human rights violations are notorious and where it is likely he would never be allowed to leave".
His brother, John Glendinning, 39, has set up a fundraiser to support Mr Glendinning's wife Kimberly, son Bailey, daughters Heidi and Lexi and granddaughter Frankie.
He said: "Brian is a hardworking man who has always put his family first. He is the life and soul of any family occasion or party, where he earns the name happy feet, given to his dancing skills.
"Anyone who meets Brian ends up calling him friend, much loved and well liked in the village of Kincardine where he was brought up and still lives today."
