British Anti-Terrorism: A Modern Day Witch-hunt - Islamic Human

117 Pages·2006·1.06 MB·English

British Anti-Terrorism:
A Modern Day Witch-hunt

Fahad Ansari
October 2005
Updated June 2006

IHRC
PO Box 598
Wembley
UK
HA9 7XH
T ([phone]
F ([phone]
E [email protected]
W www.ihrc.org.uk
First published in Great Britain in 2005
by Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598, Wembley, HA9 7XH

This edition published 2006

© 2006 Islamic Human Rights Commission

Printed in England by Islamic Human Rights Commission

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by
any means electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereinafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.

ISBN 1-903718-36-8
.

Leaflet prepared by
Anti-Terrorist Branch
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CONTENTS

TABLE OF CASES ……………………………………………………………………………………… 4
I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................8

II. THE TERRORISM ACT 2006 ........................................... 12
Encouragement of Terrorism ........................................................... 15
Preparation of Terrorist Acts and Training for Terrorism………………………….16
Dissemination of Terrorist Publications …………………………………………………….17
Pre-Charge Detention of Terror Suspects........................................... 18
Extended Powers of Proscription ...................................................... 19
Intercept Evidence …………………………………………………………………………………….19

III. THE CLAMPDOWN ON “EXTREMISM”............................... 22
The Elimination of Israel.................................................................. 24
The Removal of all Westerners from Muslim Countries........................ .24
Shariah Law and the Caliphate ......................................................... 25
Proscription of Hizb-ut-Tahrir............................................................ 25
Closure of Places of Worship............................................................. 26
ID Cards…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 27
Examining Magistrates………………………………………………………………………………. 29
Deportation and Exclusion………………………………………………………………………… 30

IV. THE DETAINEES........................................................... 32
Internment ................................................................................... 34
Control Orders................................................................................ 35
Lack of Due Process………………………………………………………………………………….36
Very Low Standard of Process ………………………………………………………………. 37
Use of Torture Evidence ……………………………………………………………………….. 38
Derogation from International Law……………………………………………………….. 40
Faulty Intelligence …………………………………………………………………………………. 42
Impact on Family Members and Third Parties………………………………………..45
Deportation ……………………………………………………………………………….…………….. 47

V. INSTITUTIONAL ISLAMOPHOBIA.................................... 50

VI. PROCESSES................................................................ .54
Proscription.................................................................................... 56
Stop and Search............................................................................. 57
Port and Border Controls.................................................................. 59
Arrests.......................................................................................... 60
Disruption of Charitable Work........................................................... 60
Internment and Control Orders......................................................... 62
Extradition..................................................................................... 62
Rendition …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 64
Shoot to Kill……………………………………………………………………………….………………. 64

VII. ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOUR......................................... 66
Muslims targeted even when victims of crime..................................... 70
Conditions of Detention................................................................... 71
No Accountability............................................................................ 75
Care of British Muslims Abroad ……………………………………………………………….. 76
Campus Watch …………………………………………………………………………………………. 79

VIII. EFFECTS ON THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY........................... 84
Demonisation................................................................................. 86
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Social Discrimination ...................................................................... 91
Mental Torture................................................................................ 93
Lack of Trust in the System.............................................................. 95
Lack of Cooperation with Authorities.................................................. 96

IX. LESSONS FROM THE PAST: FIGHTING THE IRA...............100
Criminalisation of the Irish community in Britain................................102
Internment ..................................................................................103
‘Here’s one we made earlier’ ...........................................................106

X. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS........................108

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TABLE OF CASE STUDIES

CASE STUDY 1: “M” ………………………………………………………………………………….……… 42

CASE STUDY 2: OLD TRAFFORD BOMB PLOT ………………………………………….……… 43

CASE STUDY 3: THE RICIN PLOT THAT NEVER WAS ……………………………….………44

CASE STUDY 4: MAHMOUD ABU RIDEH …………………………………………………….……. 45

CASE STUDY 5: EXPORTNG TORTURE: FROM SWEDEN TO EGYPT …………….…..48

CASE STUDY 6: MUJAHEDEEN-E-KHALQ (MKO) ……………………………………………… 57

CASE STUDY 7: TERROR LAWS AFFECT HUNGRY ORPHANS ……………………………62

CASE STUDY 8: RACHID RAMDA………………………………………………………………………..63

CASE STUDY 9: “WHERE IS YOUR GOD NOW?” ………………………………………………. 68

CASE STUDY 10: “I WILL BLOW YOUR SON’S HEAD OFF!!” ……………………………. 68

CASE STUDY 11: “I WILL SMASH YOUR F***ING ARAB FACE IN” ……………………69

CASE STUDY 12: “WE WILL KILL EVERY F***ING ONE OF YOU MUSLIMS” …… 69

CASE STUDY 13: YASSIR ABDELMOUTTALIB …………………………………………………….71

CASE STUDY 14: DISABLED AND TORTURED IN BELMARSH ………………………….. 73

CASE STUDY 15: MORE ABUSE OF BELMARSH DETAINEES ……………………………..74

CASE STUDY 16: THE THREAT OF HIJAB …………………………………………………………. 74

CASE STUDY 17: POLICE BRUTALITY COMMENDED ………………………………………….75

CASE STUDY 18: MONEAR ELDRISSY ………………………………………………………………..77

CASE STUDY 19: NADIR REMLI ………………………………………………………………………… 78

CASE STUDY 20: SUSPENDED FOR DEFENDING FREE SPEECH ………………………..80

CASE STUDY 21: NASSER AMIN ………………………………………………………………………….82

CASE STUDY 22: ARANI V THE SUN ……………………………………………………………………88

CASE STUDY 23: SULAYMAN ZAIN-UL-ABIDIN ………………………………………………….91

CASE STUDY 24: LOFT RAISSI …………………………………………………………………………..92

CASE STUDY 25: MUSTAFA LABSI ……………………………………………………………………..92

CASE STUDY 26: KIDS THREATENED WITH GUANTANAMO ………………………………93

CASE STUDY 27: PERSECUTED ALGERIANS …………………………………………………….94
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CASE STUDY 28: INTERNATIONAL HARASSMENT ……………………………………………….74

CASE STUDY 29: LIFETIME OF PERSECUTION …………………………………………………….75

CASE STUDY 30: THREE GENERATIONS OF TERRORISTS …………………………….……96

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“FOR NOW EVERYONE IN ALL MUSLIM COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE
PREPARED FOR MORE RAIDS, ARRESTS AND HARASSMENT FROM
THE AUTHORITIES AND THIS WILL INCLUDE BRITISH, WORKING
PROFESSIONALS. THERE WILL BE MANY MORE B.P.P.'S (BRITISH
POLITICAL PRISONERS) LIKE MYSELF AND OTHERS.”

Woodhill Detainee Babar Ahmed (August 2004)

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I.

INTRODUCTION

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“It is all too easy for us to respond to terror
in a way which undermines commitment to
our most deeply held values and
convictions, and which cheapens our right to
call ourselves a civilized nation.”

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- Cherie Booth, (26 July 2005)

1 19th Sultan Azlan Shah Law Lecture delivered by Cherie Booth in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 26
July 2005
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