A foreign terror suspect held without trial or charge since December 2001 has been freed from Woodhill Prison. He is an Egyptian known as ‘C’. According to the Home Secretary, there was not enough evidence to maintain his ‘certification’ as a terrorist suspect. His case was due to be reviewed at a Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) hearing later this week.
At a previous appeal hearing, Home Office lawyers had argued that C was a leading member of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, now allied with Al Qaeda. He was said to have been in contact with prominent extremists in the UK and had assisted in fraudulent fundraising. He was wanted in Egypt where he had been sentenced to 15 years in prison for terrorist offences.
Instead of releasing him, he should have been deported to Egypt. The counter argument is that he might be tortured or executed, but other countries, such as Sweden, have successfully agreed to extradite terrorist suspects to countries such as Egypt, Algeria and Jordan by making an agreement that prisoner will not be executed. France regularly sends terrorists back to Algeria. It is further argued that such agreements are only ‘a piece of paper’ but all these countries are friendly nations, with whom we have diplomatic relations, and often very close ties, going back many years. They have strong reasons not to break their word.
Moreover, they deserve our full co-operation in the struggle against terrorism. Looked at from the vantage point of countries such as Egypt or Jordan, it must seem as if we are giving safe haven to terrorists who threaten them. If the Human Rights Act gets in the way, then it’s yet another reason to abolish it.
Comments (6)
students misbehave because they are tolerated under several circumstances. for example, their parents, politicians, and any other person who can get a vested interest from these students.
Posted by Anonymous | May 13, 2007 10:23 AM
Posted on May 13, 2007 10:23
Nice work, helped me out with my essay :)
Posted by Anonymous | November 20, 2006 8:22 PM
Posted on November 20, 2006 20:22
osama bin laden is a refuge who has been seen in many countries throughout the middle east. the al-queada are supposedly being taken care of. i dont think so. look at saddam. he was found in a hole. i think that we should spend more time looking for them and less time blowing up the whole middle east.
Posted by john | March 8, 2005 4:36 PM
Posted on March 8, 2005 16:36
We could certainly legally extradite him to the US if the US would undertake not to execute him. We have done so with a number of people wanted by the US for crimes which carry the death penalty.
The only justification for not extraditing "C" to Egypt to face his 15 year prison sentence would be if he could claim asylum in the UK. I can't see that he has a case for that.
Posted by Dave | February 2, 2005 8:05 PM
Posted on February 2, 2005 20:05
It raises the intriguing question of what would happen if Osama Bin Laden was to be "discovered" in the UK.
Can't export him (America would undoubtedly violate his human rights and execute the poor innocent, likewise Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan etc.), he can't be allowed to work (no work permit) and we can't put him in jail - violating his human rights again.
So it would be a fully furnished house at taxpayers expense with all the trimmings. He should be allowed full freedom (after all we can't PROVE he's an international terrorist - just as there's a guy works down my chip shop who swears he's Elvis, Osama claims he's a terrorist but there's no PROOF). He is quite charismatic so he could do a tour of Mosques to persuade impressionable young men to holiday in a war zone and apply for university places in 3rd World countries ...
Or should we repeal the stupid laws and rules which would permit this?
Posted by PhilB | February 2, 2005 1:19 PM
Posted on February 2, 2005 13:19
On TV last night a commentator put forward an interesting and believable analysis. He said that the Home Secretary knows that he is going to be legally challenged on his revised detention laws and is, essentially, getting rid of the weakest links in his case (namely C).
Posted by JohnJo | February 2, 2005 10:40 AM
Posted on February 2, 2005 10:40