A High Court judge has approved the extradition of a man to Northern Ireland for charges related to cannabis cultivation in Co Tyrone. Yusuf Ben Mohamed, 35, faces prosecution over an alleged growhouse in Pomeroy in 2019. Authorities also accuse him of diverting electricity from the grid at that location.

The extradition request came via a Trade and Co-Operation Agreement warrant from Laganside Magistrates Court in January 2025. Ben Mohamed runs a licence plate business in Bray, Co Wicklow.

He argued that extradition risked breaching his right to practice Islam due to prison conditions. He claimed detention in Northern Ireland would expose him to inhuman treatment based on his religion.

Ben Mohamed also stated that surrender would interfere with his family rights. He described himself as primary caregiver to his mother, who lives alone with health issues. He said he supports his wife with her health problems and helps one daughter eat.

Judge Patrick McGrath rejected these claims in his judgment. He found no evidence of systemic discrimination against Muslim prisoners in Northern Ireland prisons from a 2023 report on Maghaberry Prison. The report rated respect for faith as reasonably good, despite limited communal prayers for Muslims.

McGrath noted the UK adheres to the European Convention on Human Rights. He ruled prison authorities would facilitate Ben Mohamed's religious practice absent contrary evidence.

The judge held that family impacts, while substantial, did not meet the threshold for blocking extradition. Such interference occurs in many cases, he stated.