What Has Become of Those Arrested under the Terrorism Act?

Workers' Daily Internet Edition: Article Index :

What Has Become of Those Arrested under the Terrorism Act?

End Injustice at Guantanamo
End Imprisonment Without Trial

The European Social Forum

Of the 500 people arrested in Britain under the Terrorism Act since September 11, 2001, so far only two have been convicted of charges under the Act. The arrest of 14 people last week brings to 529 the number of people being held under the Act, all but 30 of whom were detained after September 11. Of these, only 77 people have been charged. Under the emergency powers of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2001, 17 foreign nationals have also been held. The Act allows foreign suspects to be detained indefinitely without charge. In October, appeals by 10 of those held under this law were rejected. A commission of judges said there was "sound material" to back the Home Secretary’s decision that the men were "a risk to national security".

The two people convicted under the Terrorism Act are Baghdad Meziane and Brahim Benmerzouga, who were found guilty in April this year of "raising funds for terrorism" and were each jailed for 11 years. A further two people have been acquitted, including Sulayman Zain-ul-abidin who was cleared last year of trying to recruit terrorists through a website. All the other cases have yet to come to trial.

Human rights lawyers have charged that the sweeping powers granted by the law, which lower the normal standards of reasonable suspicion, have been used to target Muslims in particular. "In the US post 9/11, the police used their extra powers to go rooting for wrong-doing - now that's happening here," said lawyer Louise Christian. Communities have been criminalised through the method of "racial profiling". It is also reported that 230 of those initially held under the Act have been accused of other offences, such as credit card fraud and immigration irregularities.

Use of the Act is currently being reviewed by a Privy Council committee, which is expected to report to Home Secretary David Blunkett this month.

PETITION AND PUBLIC PROTEST ON SATURDAY 13 DECEMBER

In the 'war on terror', many hundreds of people have been imprisoned without charge or trial by the US and UK governments - at Guantanamo Bay and in Afghanistan, Iraq, the United States and the United Kingdom.

These people can be held indefinitely without trial and have reportedly been kept in conditions amounting to torture. Most are not allowed access to families or lawyers. At Guantanamo they face a closed military tribunal with prosecution, defence and judge appointed by the US military. In the UK 16 detainees have been held without charge in Belmarsh Prison since December 2001. The rejection of recent appeals means that detainees now face indefinite detention. More generally, UK anti-terrorism legislation is being used to harass migrant and refugee communities and suppress dissent, fan the flames of racial hatred and restrict the right of free speech.

*** PETITION ***

Sign on-line at:
http://www.petitiononline.com/campacc/petition.html (for paper copies tel: 020 7586 5892 or 020 7250 1315)

We call on the UK and US governments

- to abandon all forms of internment without trial.

- to immediately release those imprisoned without trial or charge them and conduct a fair and transparent trial.

We call on the UK government

- to secure the release of all nine British citizens and two British residents held in Guantanamo, for freedom or fair trial in Britain

- to demand the freedom or fair trial of all prisoners at Guantanamo.

- to end the use of anti-terrorism legislation to harass migrant and refugee communities and suppress dissent

*** PUBLIC PROTEST ***

Public Rally: Saturday 13 December 2003
From 1-4pm, opposite Downing Street, London.
Speakers include: Azmat Begg (father of Moazzam Begg), Gareth Peirce, Louise Christian (Haldane Society), Jasmine Kureshi (Association of Muslim Lawyers), Naima Bouteldja (Just Peace), Mark Jennings (representing Bishar Al-Raw’s family), Jean Lambert MEP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Tim Gopsill (editor, The Journalist), Mike Marqusee, Bruce Kent, Hugo Charlton (Chair, Green Party & CAMPACC), Stewart Hemsley (Chair, Pax Christi), Liz Fekete (Campaign against Racism & Fascism), Paul Donovan (journalist), Jaffer Clarke (Muslim Parliament of Great Britain) & Mark Thomas.

A petition calling for an end to imprisonment without trial will be handed into Downing St. Throughout the rally, a Guantanamo street action will be performed - if you are interested in taking part, please contact Emma at emma@drifting.demon.co.uk (0208 806 6272).

****

This petition and protest are sponsored by: Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC), Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, Peace and Justice in East London, Pax Christi, Voices UK, City Circle, JustPeace, The Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, Association of Muslim Lawyers, The Green Party of England and Wales, Peace and Progress

Contact: Campaign against Criminalising Communities, http://www.cacc.org.uk,
020 7250 1315