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Politics : Right Wing Extremist Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ish who wrote (22300)	1/20/2002 5:12:22 PM
From: jlallen	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 59480

Nope.

To: Ish who wrote (22300)	1/20/2002 11:55:27 PM
From: KLP	Respond to of 59480

Here's what some of the British media are saying:Britain and US in rift over terrorist prisoners portal.telegraph.co.uk Britain and US in rift over terrorist prisoners By Toby Harnden in Washington, Andrew Sparrow, Sean O'Neill and Hamida Ghafour (Filed: 21/01/2002) A RIFT between the Government and the Bush administration opened up last night after Donald Rumsfeld dismissed criticism of the treatment of detainees held at Camp X-Ray at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as ill-informed. US Army Military Police escort an al-Qa'eda detainee to his cell in Camp X-ray "The people who have been the most shrill, once they have more knowledge of the subject will stop being so shrill," the American defence secretary told reporters. Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, earlier expressed his concern about photographs showing shaven-headed Taliban and al-Qa'eda prisoners kneeling and tightly manacled. "I have asked our officials in Guantanamo Bay to establish with America the circumstances in which these photographs were taken," he said. "Prisoners, regardless of their technical status, should be treated humanely and in accordance with customary international law." Three inmates at Guantanamo Bay are said to have claimed to be British. There have been unconfirmed reports that one is Feroz Abbasi, 22, a former computer studies student, from Croydon, south London. Abassi vanished more than a year ago after becoming involved with Muslim extremists at Finsbury Park mosque, north London, and telling his mother that he was going to fight in Afghanistan. Mr Rumsfeld's remark last week that he did not feel "even the slightest concern" about the prisoners angered Labour MPs. Robin Cook, the former foreign secretary, irritated senior Bush officials by describing Mr Rumsfeld witheringly as a "man of robust views" and saying: "The secretary of state for defence is an honourable post and we pay respect to that post, but it is not an independent post." While the issue is worrying Britain and much of Europe, the American public and the opposition Democrats have accepted the White House view that the harsh measures are needed for security reasons. Mr Rumsfeld, describing the 110 al-Qa'eda and Taliban captives at the base as "very tough, hard-core, well-trained terrorists", said yesterday it was wrong to suggest that they were being treated inhumanely. "Obviously anyone would be concerned if people were suggesting that treatment were not proper," he said. "The fact is that treatment is proper. There is no doubt in my mind that it is humane and appropriate and consistent with the Geneva convention for the most part." The prisoners were receiving excellent medical care and "culturally appropriate food" three times a day. "They are being allowed to practise their religion, which is not something that they encouraged on the part of others. They are clothed cleanly and they are dry and safe." Mr Rumsfeld suggested that criticism of their treatment was an insult to the troops guarding them. "They are fine young people and they are doing a wonderful job and it is not fair or appropriate to suggest that the conduct they are engaged in, in detaining those prisoners, is anything other than humane and appropriate. "I am darned proud of those folks down there for the fine job they are doing." A team from the International Committee of the Red Cross has been at the base since Thursday to inspect the prison camp and interview detainees. The men are being held in 6ft by 8ft cages with roofs and floors but only chain-link walls until more permanent structures are built. Downing Street urged critics not to "rush to judgment". They should wait until British officials visiting the camp, who are understood to include MI5 officers, filed a report on the conditions there. But Tony Lloyd, a former Labour Foreign Office minister, questioned whether the treatment of the captives accorded with the Geneva convention, as London and Washington claimed. Another former Labour minister, Tony Banks, reminded the Government that it had said: "We are not going to allow terrorists to reduce us to the level of barbarians." Abbasi's Labour MP, Geraint Davies, said that ministers should consider seeking his extradition to Britain. "I have raised with the Prime Minister the issue of those being held in Cuba having their human rights observed." Friends of Abbasi said he had been interested in rollerblading, music and girls until he started studying the Koran three years ago. Michael Driver, 18, said: "He said he would take up the religion. He was a bit messed up. I don't think his life was that good. He did not have a lot of friends and he has not spoken to his father for a long time." Mr Driver, an apprentice mechanic, said that he and Abbasi used to go on trips to central London and spend time in cafes and amusement arcades. "We talked about school and general teenage things. He was older, so when I had a bit of trouble in a relationship he was the one I spoke to. He helped me out. He was a really good listener." 19 January 2002: 'Britons' at Cuban base questioned by officials 18 January 2002: US hits back as Red Cross visits Cuba detainees 15 January 2002: US has not ruled out execution of Taliban Britons 14 January 2002: Check on 'British' prisoner in Cuba cage 13 January 2002: Al-Qa'eda Briton airlifted by US military faces execution 12 January 2002: Taliban prisoners are 'unlawful combatants' 11 January 2002: Shaved Taliban captives flown to a cage in Cuba 28 December 2001: Camp in Cuba for 'battlefield detainees' Next story: Call-up cut as TA troops say they can't afford it Related reports Daily Telegraph: Not Mr Straw's business Britain will give £200m to Afghanistan Old rivalries hamper hunt Russians take the high road to peace In brief External links US Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba - US Navy Newsroom - 10 Downing Street American responds - White House Secretary Rumsfeld interview with NBC Meet the Press [20 Jan '02] - US Department of Defence US Department of Defence US Department of State International Committee of the Red Cross America at war - Washington Post Geneva Convention - UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights News - Foreign and Commonwealth Office Follow the Geneva Convention [17 Jan '02] - Washington Post