Welsh terror raid leads to arrest of Libyan
Oh lord... I don't even know where to begin with this one and I'm simply too tired to write an essay though I kind of feel one coming on soon...if I can ever really find the words to express my frustrations.
"One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist." I have no idea who uttered or wrote those words first, but the phrase has always stood out to me. And, as time progresses and my political awareness continues, I'm beginning to see the dynamics and actual mechanisms that make it true.
Not so long ago, the Q-man was 'evil' to most Americans. Why? Well, there was the Pan-Am incident, the Berlin disco incident, and he was a cruel military dictator who screwed with the price of oil, was an ally of the USSR, etc, etc. End of story. Nobody really knew why he was evil kind of like no one knows why Castro was either. The thought process ended at Qadaffi=Hitler, thanks to Reagan's gift of oral persuasion and people's acceptance of authority and overall dissinterest in understanding the intricates of politics, especially as they pertain to countries full of brown people that speak funny languages.
Now, the thought process ends with Qadaffi=Victory in the War on Terror. Period. Qadaffi is now a trophy bride--pretty and fresh and unlikely to rock the boat. He's the pay off for the attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq, the sole proof that something worked.
This is of course ignoring the fact that Qadaffi was trying hard to snuggle up to the US during Clinton's administration or quite possibly before, ignoring that Libya is still under dictatorship, ignoring that people are still imprisoned if they voice the dissent that the Western world continues to encourage, exploit, and only to then ignore when interests change.
The voices of dissent--the agents of change--are now being thrown into jails with the enthusiastic help of the US and Europe. The cards have apparently been redealt and, guess what? Guess who wins again?
Not anyone that stood for principles and swallowed the bitter consequences of estrangement from their homes and families or had their homes leveled to set an example. Not anyone who stood for anything other than self interest and opportunism.
Instead, the final laugh seems to be that of the corrupt and powerful. And it seems to get louder by the day.
Omar Deghayes, a Libyan arrested in Pakistan in 2002, is still in Guantanamo. No formal charges were made against him. In the latest Guardian article written by his sister Amani Deghayes, those same non-charges are the reasons the UK is refusing his re-entry upon release from Guantanamo. Alternatively, he's to head back to Libya.
Mr. Ali, in the following article, is in a similar predicament. He's an enemy of the world now that his enemy is a friend to him. And this is not even based on proven evidence--I have no idea of where the man stands on anything.
What I do understand is that the dissent has lost in this case, with the help of the US government (no, I'm not blaming the government but I am pointing out that this is a low level Iraqi uprising situation).
What was it that we wanted again?
Welsh terror raid Osama link
Oct 8 2006
Marc Baker
THE first terror suspect to be arrested in Wales following the London 7/7 bombings is accused of having links with Osama bin Laden.
Twelve months have passed since anti-terror police swooped on a quiet Cardiff street and held a married Libyan man as part of a series of dawn raids across the UK after 52 people died in the July atrocities.
Ever since, the bearded father-of-two, who had been granted asylum in Britain, has been detained under tough immigration laws at the high security Long Lartin Prison in Worcestershire. He has not been charged with any criminal offence.
But last night his lawyers told Wales on Sunday the Home Office has accused the Libyan of being connected to terror chief bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network as the Government seeks to deport him.
The man, who has not been identified by the authorities, is accused of being a member of the terrorist Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), which sympathises with Al-Qaeda and has links to extremist groups in Egypt and Algeria. The radical group, formed in 1990, is believed to have planned the Casablanca suicide bombings in May 2003.
President George Bush placed LIFG on his list of terrorist organisations in 2004. The group was banned from operating in the UK by the Home Office last year. Anyone found to be a member can face a 10-year prison term.
But last night, as they prepare to fight plans to kick their client out of Britain, lawyers acting for the Libyan denied their client is involved with LIFG or Al-Qaeda.
Instead, they claim he is a casualty of the 'climate of fear' stirred up in the wake of the London bombings.
Lawyer Sean McLoughlin, of Birmingham-based TRP Solicitors, said: "This man is being detained under immigration laws. He has not been accused of being involved in any terror plot of any kind but the Home Office wants to deport him to Libya as they say his presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good.
"The Home Office says he is a member of an anti-Colonel Gadaffi organisation (the LIFG) - which he isn't - which the Home Office say is 'involved' with or at least shares the ideology of Al-Qaeda - which is also rubbish."
Known locally as Mr Ali, the Libyan was arrested after cops raided the home he shared with his wife and two young children in Canton at 6am on October 3. He was seized after South Wales Police assisted Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist branch, who executed a search warrant, under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Mr McLoughlin explained: "He is still in detention and has been since last October, pending deportation to Libya. His appeal against deportation will be heard by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) this month. No criminal charges have been laid."
Although Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights prevents people from being deported to a regime where they may face torture, Mr McLouglin fears his client will be targeted if he is sent back to Libya.
"The Home Office accepts that Gadaffi's regime tortures political opponents but says that the UK Government and Libya have negotiated a memorandum of understanding between them to have Libya promise not to torture or ill-treat our client.
"A supposedly independent monitoring body has been appointed to check up on our client if he is returned to Libya, to ensure he is not tortured.
"But the body appointed by the Libyans and UK Government to monitor returned individuals is the Gadaffi Foundation which is headed up by Gadaffi's son - Saif Al-Islam Gadaffi.
"Our client is arguing that he will be tortured if returned to Libya and that he should not be deported."
The Welsh Refugee Council insists there is no evidence to suggest the Libyan has any terror links or has preached in support of terror networks.
Last night, the Home Office insisted it was "seeking to deport a number of people whose presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good for reasons of national security".
icWales - Welsh terror raid Osama link
"One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist." I have no idea who uttered or wrote those words first, but the phrase has always stood out to me. And, as time progresses and my political awareness continues, I'm beginning to see the dynamics and actual mechanisms that make it true.
Not so long ago, the Q-man was 'evil' to most Americans. Why? Well, there was the Pan-Am incident, the Berlin disco incident, and he was a cruel military dictator who screwed with the price of oil, was an ally of the USSR, etc, etc. End of story. Nobody really knew why he was evil kind of like no one knows why Castro was either. The thought process ended at Qadaffi=Hitler, thanks to Reagan's gift of oral persuasion and people's acceptance of authority and overall dissinterest in understanding the intricates of politics, especially as they pertain to countries full of brown people that speak funny languages.
Now, the thought process ends with Qadaffi=Victory in the War on Terror. Period. Qadaffi is now a trophy bride--pretty and fresh and unlikely to rock the boat. He's the pay off for the attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq, the sole proof that something worked.
This is of course ignoring the fact that Qadaffi was trying hard to snuggle up to the US during Clinton's administration or quite possibly before, ignoring that Libya is still under dictatorship, ignoring that people are still imprisoned if they voice the dissent that the Western world continues to encourage, exploit, and only to then ignore when interests change.
The voices of dissent--the agents of change--are now being thrown into jails with the enthusiastic help of the US and Europe. The cards have apparently been redealt and, guess what? Guess who wins again?
Not anyone that stood for principles and swallowed the bitter consequences of estrangement from their homes and families or had their homes leveled to set an example. Not anyone who stood for anything other than self interest and opportunism.
Instead, the final laugh seems to be that of the corrupt and powerful. And it seems to get louder by the day.
Omar Deghayes, a Libyan arrested in Pakistan in 2002, is still in Guantanamo. No formal charges were made against him. In the latest Guardian article written by his sister Amani Deghayes, those same non-charges are the reasons the UK is refusing his re-entry upon release from Guantanamo. Alternatively, he's to head back to Libya.
Mr. Ali, in the following article, is in a similar predicament. He's an enemy of the world now that his enemy is a friend to him. And this is not even based on proven evidence--I have no idea of where the man stands on anything.
What I do understand is that the dissent has lost in this case, with the help of the US government (no, I'm not blaming the government but I am pointing out that this is a low level Iraqi uprising situation).
What was it that we wanted again?
Welsh terror raid Osama link
Oct 8 2006
Marc Baker
THE first terror suspect to be arrested in Wales following the London 7/7 bombings is accused of having links with Osama bin Laden.
Twelve months have passed since anti-terror police swooped on a quiet Cardiff street and held a married Libyan man as part of a series of dawn raids across the UK after 52 people died in the July atrocities.
Ever since, the bearded father-of-two, who had been granted asylum in Britain, has been detained under tough immigration laws at the high security Long Lartin Prison in Worcestershire. He has not been charged with any criminal offence.
But last night his lawyers told Wales on Sunday the Home Office has accused the Libyan of being connected to terror chief bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network as the Government seeks to deport him.
The man, who has not been identified by the authorities, is accused of being a member of the terrorist Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), which sympathises with Al-Qaeda and has links to extremist groups in Egypt and Algeria. The radical group, formed in 1990, is believed to have planned the Casablanca suicide bombings in May 2003.
President George Bush placed LIFG on his list of terrorist organisations in 2004. The group was banned from operating in the UK by the Home Office last year. Anyone found to be a member can face a 10-year prison term.
But last night, as they prepare to fight plans to kick their client out of Britain, lawyers acting for the Libyan denied their client is involved with LIFG or Al-Qaeda.
Instead, they claim he is a casualty of the 'climate of fear' stirred up in the wake of the London bombings.
Lawyer Sean McLoughlin, of Birmingham-based TRP Solicitors, said: "This man is being detained under immigration laws. He has not been accused of being involved in any terror plot of any kind but the Home Office wants to deport him to Libya as they say his presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good.
"The Home Office says he is a member of an anti-Colonel Gadaffi organisation (the LIFG) - which he isn't - which the Home Office say is 'involved' with or at least shares the ideology of Al-Qaeda - which is also rubbish."
Known locally as Mr Ali, the Libyan was arrested after cops raided the home he shared with his wife and two young children in Canton at 6am on October 3. He was seized after South Wales Police assisted Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist branch, who executed a search warrant, under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Mr McLoughlin explained: "He is still in detention and has been since last October, pending deportation to Libya. His appeal against deportation will be heard by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) this month. No criminal charges have been laid."
Although Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights prevents people from being deported to a regime where they may face torture, Mr McLouglin fears his client will be targeted if he is sent back to Libya.
"The Home Office accepts that Gadaffi's regime tortures political opponents but says that the UK Government and Libya have negotiated a memorandum of understanding between them to have Libya promise not to torture or ill-treat our client.
"A supposedly independent monitoring body has been appointed to check up on our client if he is returned to Libya, to ensure he is not tortured.
"But the body appointed by the Libyans and UK Government to monitor returned individuals is the Gadaffi Foundation which is headed up by Gadaffi's son - Saif Al-Islam Gadaffi.
"Our client is arguing that he will be tortured if returned to Libya and that he should not be deported."
The Welsh Refugee Council insists there is no evidence to suggest the Libyan has any terror links or has preached in support of terror networks.
Last night, the Home Office insisted it was "seeking to deport a number of people whose presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good for reasons of national security".
icWales - Welsh terror raid Osama link
posted by smokey spice at 3:20 AM
5 Comments:
george carlin once said, "if crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fire, then what do freedom fighters fight?"
your post reminded me of that. i would say that it's all terrorism -- by definition -- and they are freedom fighers if they are doing what you want. you know, a helpful euphamism.
I find that the world has become hypocritical to say the least . Good post now waiting for the essay :)
What was it that we wanted again?
Victory.
Smokey, I have to say, I don't understand your position on this, or on the detainees in Guantanamo Bay. I find the lawyer's denial that LIFG is associated with Al Qaeda to be laughable... the group was FOUNDED in Afghanistan and has from it's very inception been closely tied to both Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Not to mention the evidence implicating the LIFG in the Casablanca suicide bombing.
There is no doubt this is a Islamist terrorist group. You seem to be implying both:
a) it's not a terrorist group and
b) if it is a terrorist group, what's wrong with that?
The British do not need to charge him with a crime in order to deport him.
And the British also do not have to accept your definition of what a terrorist is. Neither does the US.
Highlander,
I find that the world has become hypocritical to say the least .
The world is not hypocritical. People are hypocritical. I think muslims suffer from the problem at least as much as anybody else. For instance, muslims who claim everybody should respect their Prophet (because muslims respect everyone else's religion, right) and then the very same people who say that launch viciously bigotted and hateful tirades against other religions. Seen that on your blog a few times, my dear :)
I made my response to these comments into a seperate post but I have a few personal notes here.
Jeames- thanks for the comment. I'm glad to know you're still alive and that I can push your buttons every once in a while. And now that you've commented, I will call you soon. I just wasn't sure anymore if I'd pushed away so far that you would no longer want to hear from me at all.
PC & Highlander- I responded to your comments in the new October 17 post mainly.
Craig my dear
"The world is not hypocritical. People are hypocritical."
The people are part of the world :P , and people and world are interchangeable words in Arabic . Regardless of that , only Smokey understood the above reference to hypocrisy ( i.e why she made a whole post about it ) and that is why you launched into the Prophet and Islam issue.
I was referring to the Q-man , and indeed the world ( the one that effectively can make decisions ) had been hypocritical , whether we like it or not. For selfish reasons I'd say it's OK because there is less blood spilled , but for moral reasons I'd say it is not OK .
Post a Comment
<< Home