News from 2005

Simultaneous vigils are to be held at Prestwick, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports this Sunday (18 December) in protest at the suspected use of these airports by US aircraft involved in the obscene practice called "extraordinary rendition" - a euphemism for the transport of prisoners to torture centres around the world. Complicity in torture is a crime under international law.

The House of Lords debated the Terrorism Bill on Tuesday 13 DecemberThe government is to adjust its plans to create a new offence of "encouragement" of terrorism, Home Office minister Baroness Scotland of Asthal said. But the change is only cosmetic

The Immigration Office at Festival Court, Brand Street, Ibrox, Glasgow was blockaded since 5 am at the gates so preventing any immigration snatch squads leaving Brand street to drag Scottish asylum families from their beds.

The Witness Against Torture marchers have reached the gates of Guantanamo after a 50-mile march from Santiago, Cuba have reached the gates of Guantanamo after a 50-mile march from Santiago, Cuba.

Secret evidence which might have been obtained by torture cannot be used against terror suspects in UK courts, the law lords have ruled.

Rachid Ramda arrived in France today after being extradited from the UK

Green MSPs Mark Ballard and Robin Harper ask Lothian and Borders police to investigate rendition flights

On Thursday 18 Nov, two High Court judges issued a ruling rejecting Rachid Ramda's attempt to block the extradition. The ruling follows a High Court hearing in October. QC Edward Fitzgerald, had told the court that Rachid would not receive a fairt trial in France. he said that the extradition was "legally flawed" and involved "a real risk of a flagrant denial of justice."

The family of Babar Ahmad have received today the news that the Home Secretary has decided to extradite Babar to the United States. Speaking from Woodhill Prison, Babar Ahmad said "This decision should only come as a surprise to those who thought that there was still justice for Muslims in Britain." Babar will be appealing against the decision in the High Court.

Tony Blair was given an Eid card by the families of the 10 men detained on the 11th August 2005 pending deportation to Algeria and Jordan, including eight previously interned without charge under anti-terrorism laws. The card carried a message opposing the deportation and torture of their relatives. The Eid card was signed by 1000s of people over the month of Ramadan.

The parliamentary rebellion over the government's Terrorism Bill is a welcome sign that Labour backbenchers may be rediscovering their backbones. But it's a pity that many of the rebels seem willing to settle for concessions that do no more than pull some of the rottenest teeth from this vicious piece of legislation.

The Scottish anti-war demo planned for Saturday 12 November has been given the go-ahead by police

MPs voted yesterday (26 October 2005) by 472 to 94 to give the Terrorism Bill a second reading. The Conservative front bench backed the bill in principle, while promising to amend it in detail. Most Liberal Democrats joined leftwing and minor party rebels, leaving the government with a majority of 376.

Cindy Sheehan, along with several well-known figures, has been arrested at the front gates of the White House in Washington DC. Sheehan had attempted once again to gain an audience with George W. Bush; again she was refused. Sheehan and her supporters then proceeded to sit down and pray at a restricted point in front of the White House. She and many others have been arrested.

Those who have been arrested with her include Cindy's sister Dee Dee, former state department official Ann Wright, Michael Berg, the father of slain US contractor Nick Berg, Media Benjamin of Code Pink and many veterans and their family members.

Middlesex University has suspended Student Union president Keith Shilson and revoked his studentship indefinitely because he refused to cancel a debate with Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Hundreds of inmates in the US prison camp in Guantanamo Bay have been on hunger strike for six weeks against their indefinite detention without charge or trial. One of those on hunger strike is British resident Omar Deghayes.

Seven Algerians, including four who were cleared at the Old Bailey in April of involvement in the alleged ricin plot, were detained yesterday pending their deportation on the grounds that they are a "threat to national security".The seven were detained in London and Manchester in an operation ordered under the home secretary's powers to deport terror suspects.

A number of wholly innocent Algerian refugees rightly acquitted by a jury in April 2005, or against whom all charges were dropped long before trial, were this morning abruptly arrested and informed they will be deported to Algeria , a country where all face death or torture. At least one of these men was horrifically tortured in that country and bears the scars today.

The government has published a draft of its controversial Terrorism Bill

The lawyers of Babar Ahmad were informed on Friday 9 September 2005 that the Home Secretary has applied for another two month extension for his decision.

Armed police officers in Scotland appear to be operating under the same guidelines that led to the tragic death of Jean Charles de Menezes in London on 22 July. Their firearms policy is urgently in need of overhaul following revelations earlier this week that Jean Charles de Menezes was acting in an entirely innocent manner when he was assassinated by police officers on the London underground.

response from Birnberg Peirce and Partners to the evidence made public during the last 24 hours as to the true circumstances of the death of Jean Charles de Menezes.

Ten foreign citizens have been detained by police prior to deportation, according to Home Secretary Charles Clarke. They were seized on Thursday 11 August by four police forces working with the Immigration Service. Charles Clarke says he is acting under powers contained in the Immigration Act 1971. The Home Office has refused to name the people arrested. They are thought to include a number of the men previously detained without charge or trial under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, then released following a ruling in their favour by the Law Lords in December 2004. Until yesterday, the men were living under severe restrictions imposed through "Control Orders" issued under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005

Press Statement from Birnberg Peirce & Partners Solicitors

The seven men we represent who were suddenly arrested yesterday morning have been imprisoned separately as far away as it is possible to place them from their families (those who are married), their lawyers and importantly their doctors, in Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire and Full Sutton prison near York.

Press release from Arani & Co. Solicitors in response to an article concerning Mudassar Arani that appeared in the London Evening Standard on 11 August 2005

Press Statement from Gareth Peirce

A number of men we represent who are the subject of Control Orders were arrested this morning and told that they would be deported. The Home Office did not think it necessary to give a single word of explanation to those individuals as to why this morning they can be safely deported to their respective countries of origin when last night they could not.

Following a surge in racist crime, SACC calls on Scottish police forces to tackle the crisis of confidence by building a culture of solidarity instead of suspicion, and by dissociating themselves from the Met's shoot-to-kill policy. SACC is also asking members of the public, whatever their faith, to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Muslims and to make it clear that they will not tolerate racist harassment and Islamophobia.

"Police killed my cousin, they could kill anyone," says relative of Brazilian man shot in London

Jean Charles de Menezes, the innocent Brazilian man killed by police after being mistaken for a suicide bomber, was shot eight times at Stockwell Tube station on Friday, not five times as had previously been reported. The details emerged at the opening of an inquest into his death yesterday.

Mr De Menezes cousin, Alex Pereira, told BBC Breakfast thet the police "have to pay for that in many ways, because if they do not, they are going to kill many people, they are going to kill thousands of people. They killed my cousin, they could kill anyone."

Full article in the Guardian

The Islamic Human Rights Commission has announced that it is to suspend all formal relations with the British Police with immediate effect as a result of the shocking cold-blooded murder by the Police of an innocent unarmed man last Friday.

We share the nation's shock at the news that Jean Charles de Menezes - an innocent Brazilian man - has been brutally killed by police on London's Underground. Our thoughts are with his family, and we offer our support to them in the vigil they have been holding today.

We are filled with sorrow and concern at the news that a man has been shot dead by police on London's underground. We do not know yet whether the man was carrying a bomb. But initial reports suggest that police had been following him for some time without attempting to stop him, so we must suppose that they themselves were far from sure that he presented a threat to life.

The Islamic Human Rights Commission is sad to announce that there has been a huge upsurge in the number of Islamophobic incidents reported to it in the two weeks following the London bombings.

Passengers were evacuated from parts of London's transport system today after incidents involving explosives at three underground stations and a bus. The explosions appear to have been an unseccessful attempt to repeat the carnage of 7 July

Full article in the Guardian

vigils in Glasgow, Edinburgh and London were very successful in showing solidarity with the victims of the London bombings.

Jaya Sacca, a long term peace activist was remanded in Lewes Prison this afternoon (JULY 14TH) by District Judge Arnold. On Wednesday 13th July he was 'arrested' and handcuffed by members of Guardian Security hired by arms dealers EDO MBM. He was 'detained' by the security firm for allegedly stepping onto the road which constitutes the 'no protest zone'. At the time no police were at the scene. Mr Sacca is also alleged to have assaulted one of the security guards when four of them 'arrested' him as attempted to leave the area.

Police in Edinburgh have been investigating an unprovoked racial attack on two Asian boys. The 16-year-old and his 11-year-old friend were assaulted by a white man on Tuesday 12 July.

The Garden of Friends House in Euston filled with Londoners who came to remember the victims of the horrific bombings that shook their city on Thursday, and show solidarity and unity in the face of the attacks and their aftermath. A vigil was alos held in Edinburgh on Thursday evening.

Around 150 protestors gathered outside Belmarsh prison to show their support for the 13 foreign citizens - all Muslim - interned without charge or trial under the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001. The protest was organised by the Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC).

BBC report

A judge has ruled that British terror suspect Babar Ahmad can be extradited to the United States.

Blair and Clarke have finally forced their Prevention of Terrorism Bill through Parliament. It will need to be renewed after a year, but it's still the most frightening piece of legislation to go onto the statute books in modern times.

Babar Ahmad, a British Citizen from Tooting has been detained awaiting extradition to the US, which flouts human rights. The last Home Secretary, David Blunkett agreed a treaty where the US does not have to present evidence, which is tested in a British court. If extradited, Babar Ahmad could be tried by a military court and could face the death penalty. The lawyer for the US government said that unprecedented nature of the case meant he needed more time to consult on the issues. Judge Timothy Workman ordered a remand and review hearing on March 24, with the full extradition case to continue on April 18.

Guardian Article

More about Barbar Ahmad www.freebarbarahmad.com

Saajid Badat, a 25 year old man from Gloucester, admitted plotting to blow up a passenger plane in midair with an explosive device hidden in his shoe. But four days after he was given the device in December 2001, he had a change of heart and backed out of the mission. The prosecution said that device was identical to that used by Richard Reid when he attempted to bring down an aircraft in December 2001 on a flight from Paris to Miami, Saajid Badat is the first person to be convicted in Britain of involvement in a "al-Qaida-style" terrorist plot, despite around 700 arrests under the Terrorism Act 2000, and a handful of convictions for minor offences under the Act. He will be sentenced on 18 March.

Guardian Article

The Prevention of Terrorism Bill passed its 3^rd reading in House of Commons on Monday 28^th February, by 272 votes to 219.

Commons debate>
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At the last moment MohammadSarwar MP accepted an invitation to speak at a meeting organised by MAB and SACC at Glasgow's Al-Furqan Mosque. Mohammed Sarwar had already voted for the government's Prevention of Terrorism Bill when it had its 2^ndreading in the House of Commons on 23^rd February. His decision appeared to find no favour in the community he is said to represdent.

Detainee "C", held without charge or trial at Woodhill Priosn under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, has been released unconditionally and his certification as a "suspected international terrorist" has been revoked.

His lawyer, Natalie Garcia, said "It came completely out of the blue,...We were given no indication in court that this was going to happen. In effect, the home secretary has now admitted that C is no danger to anyone at all, which is what we've said from the very beginning, but it has taken three years and his life has been decimated in the meantime."

C was, she said, "delighted to be released, but very perplexed and confused about the whole situation and couldn't understand why he had been interned for three years on the basis of nothing at all and suddenly released".

Guardian Article

Three men being held without charge or trial under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 have been granted bail.

Mahmoud Abu Rideh, a Palestinian, was granted bail at a Special Immigration Appeal Commission hearing in London. He is currently held at Broadmoor Hospital, having been transferred there from Belmarsh Prison after his mental health collapsed as a result of his detenntion. The two other men granted bail are known only as "A" and "P". The Home Office will be asking for bail conditions amounting to house arrest to be placed on them.

BBC Article

The men coming home from Guantanamo Bay deserve all the support this country can give them. They should be treated as torture victims, not as terrorism suspects

SACC welcomes the news that the remaining four British citizens held at Guantanamo Bay , but is concerned at suggestions that the men may be arrested and questioned by police on their arrival.

Remzi Kartal, a founding member of the Kurdistan National Congress and former DEP MP, was arrested at the request of Turkey on January 22 2005 in Nuremberg.

Remzi Kartal has been active politically on a completely legal basis and has worked exclusively for a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish question. He is known internationally for his struggle for democracy, as are his colleagues from the DEP, Hatip Dicle, Leyla Zana, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak. Now he is to be deported to Turkey.