5 "Britons" held in Guantanamo

[fzbucks]

Happy Now? - From the FCo website:

GUANTANAMO BAY: FORMER UK RESIDENTS (07/08/07)


The Foreign Secretary and the Home Secretary have decided to request the release from Guantanamo Bay and return to the UK of five men who, whilst not UK Nationals, were legally resident here prior to their detention. The Foreign Secretary has written today to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to formally make this request.

The Government welcomes recent steps taken by the US Government to reduce the numbers of those detained at Guantanamo Bay and to move towards the closure of the detention facility. These steps include an increasing emphasis on engagement with third countries over the transfer and resettlement of those detained.

The Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary have reviewed the Government’s approach to this group of individuals in light of these ongoing developments, our long-held policy aim of securing the closure of Guantanamo Bay, and the need to maintain national security.

They have decided to request the release and return of the five detainees who have links to the UK as former residents, having been granted refugee status, indefinite leave or exceptional leave to remain prior to their detention: Mr Shaker Aamer, Mr Jamil El Banna, Mr Omar Deghayes, Mr Binyam Mohamed and Mr Abdennour Sameur. Our representations are limited to those with links to the United Kingdom as evidenced by their past lawful residence here.

Discussions with the US Government about the release and return of these five men may take some time. The Government will of course continue to take all necessary measures to maintain national security. Should these men be returned to the UK, the same security considerations and actions will apply to them as would apply to any other foreign national in this country.


Notes for Editors
By January 2005, the Government had secured the release and return of all the UK nationals detained in Guantanamo Bay. But we have not, so far, requested the release and return of this group of individuals. The Government's decision not to do so was upheld by High Court and Court of Appeal rulings last year.

The Courts accepted our judgement that requesting the return of individuals who were not British nationals would have been ineffective: the US had made clear that they did not intend to negotiate with third countries regarding non-nationals. We judged that it would also have been counter-productive, at that time, to our wider aim of securing closure of the detention facility. As set out above, the situation has now changed and the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary have reviewed the Government’s approach in light of these circumstances.

[Not So Wise]

1 - who's says the intel is shady?
2 - Apparently we DO NOT "look out for" accepted refugees as these cases prove it. The Foreign Office worked to get the British citizens out of gitmo but hasn't for these 5 - why?

1. Who says it is not?
Considering this is the same inteligence agencys that said there were WMD's in iraq and locked up 100's of people in gitmo only to release them after a few years with no charge i would says odd's on the intel IS shady just by their track record

2. Simple, UK is the USA's bitch these days.

Even for the british citizens the British Govrenment did the absolut bear minimum (if a non nuclear power had done the same as the US to British citizens (even ones they knew were guilty) the UK would be screaming to the UN, imposing sanctions and considering military action).

These guys have probably been in limbo for the last 5 years with no body doing anything and now the US are ready to release them (there have been indications in press in regards to this) but have no where to release them to (because returning them to a country they are refugee's from would not look good) so most likely they did a favor to the British so they could look like they were actually doing something and getting the USA to lisen to them

[fzbucks]

2. Simple, UK is the USA's bitch these days.

Even for the british citizens the British Govrenment did the absolut bear minimum (if a non nuclear power had done the same as the US to British citizens (even ones they knew were guilty) the UK would be screaming to the UN, imposing sanctions and considering military action).

What you mean like they did with Iran?

[Not So Wise]

What you mean like they did with Iran?

Presume talking about the sailors? They were held for what ? 12 days?

Did the UK go screaming to the UN? Yes (and funny enough UN did not give them what they wanted, total condemnation)
Was there talk about military action? Yes (but Blair turned it down )
Sanctions? Debated (But as Iran is one of the major suppliers of Oil in the Europe that debate would have gone on forever, hell it is UK and Europe that have been blocking the US in the UN from enforcing total sanctions against Iran for years for this reason)

Now considering 1 out 3 happened in less that 12 days while other 2 were debated vs. US who held UK citizens for 5 years with little beyond some odd moaning for the UK government ...yes it is exactly what I mean

[shaunbhoy]

because when you accept their refugee status you, as a country, become responsible for them and remain responsible for them until you either rescind their status or someone else (another country) takes responsibility for them.

Exactly, and it was a very noble gesture on the part of our cousins across the pond to "take responsibility" for them without demanding any payment.
I am sure without too much trawling we could find a great many more worthy of such an exchange package.

[fzbucks]

Presume talking about the sailors? They were held for what ? 12 days?

Did the UK go screaming to the UN? Yes (and funny enough UN did not give them what they wanted, total condemnation)
Was there talk about military action? Yes (but Blair turned it down )
Sanctions? Debated (But as Iran is one of the major suppliers of Oil in the Europe that debate would have gone on forever, hell it is UK and Europe that have been blocking the US in the UN from enforcing total sanctions against Iran for years for this reason)

Now considering 1 out 3 happened in less that 12 days while other 2 were debated vs. US who held UK citizens for 5 years with little beyond some odd moaning for the UK government ...yes it is exactly what I mean

the only talk of military action was by the armchair warriors on forums

the issue was solved with diplomacy which is what has ahppened here - althought he country coudn't do anything before for them as they were for the millionth time not british citizens

only since the US has agreed to deal with 3rd countries has the UK been able to do anything - I think that's more than kind enough considering they have been free from the persecution of their home countries for the past 5 years - fed three square meals a day - given free tracksuits - thats as much as out govenrment gives british citizens n liverpool so again whats all the complaining about.

You'll be wanting the british govenrment to pay for failed assylum seekers next.

[Old Greg]

I think that's more than kind enough considering they have been free from the persecution of their home countries for the past 5 years - fed three square meals a day - given free tracksuits

Perhaps you'd like to volunteer for a little trip there yourself.

[fzbucks]

Perhaps you'd like to volunteer for a little trip there yourself.

well my actions cause no suspicion to fall on me so that shouldn't be necessary

"business trip" in gambia my ar$e, more like fund rasing for organisations of ill repute.

how come every other muslim person who goes away on business isn't in gitmo then - perhaps you would like to house every one of the detainees in your town as you think they are all innocent especially the ones that were only on business trips etc.

[Old Greg]

well my actions cause no suspicion to fall on me so that shouldn't be necessary

"business trip" in gambia my ar$e, more like fund rasing for organisations of ill repute.

how come every other muslim person who goes away on business isn't in gitmo then - perhaps you would like to house every one of the detainees in your town as you think they are all innocent especially the ones that were only on business trips etc.

And the evidence is where? The argument you are making seems to boil down to: if he didn't do anything, they wouldn't have captured him. Let's apply that across the board. We can do away with all that epensive due process of the judicial system. Of course the other way round of looking at it is: if he's guilty, why don't they put him on trial, convict him and imprison him, rather than let such a dangerous person go?

[fzbucks]

And the evidence is where? The argument you are making seems to boil down to: if he didn't do anything, they wouldn't have captured him. Let's apply that across the board. We can do away with all that epensive due process of the judicial system. Of course the other way round of looking at it is: if he's guilty, why don't they put him on trial, convict him and imprison him, rather than let such a dangerous person go?

the evidence is in the same storage file as your evidence to the contrary!

I've never argued at all that there should be no trials - if you read through the posts instead of just your usual trolling of anything remotely to the right if your thinking you will see that I have not defended Gitmo - only raised issue with what you expect our country to do about it - in another thread you would probably describe it as meddling in other country's affairs if that suited your opinion of the day.