|
Clarke to decide the fate of released Gitmo suspects
Charles Clarke will attempt to resolve the crisis surrounding controversial anti-terrorist laws today when he sets out the fate of foreign terror suspects detained without trial.The home secretary will tell the Commons how the government intends to deal with detainees, after the law lords ruled before Christmas that their incarceration was unlawful under the European convention on human rights. The final details of the plans were still being discussed by the cabinet last night but a statement to parliament was scheduled for lunchtime today. There was speculation that the government would be forced to release at least some of the 11, most of whom are held in Belmarsh prison in London. But civil rights groups warned the government against any attempt to place the suspects, in effect, under house arrest. There were fears ministers could introduce orders placing restrictions on the detainees' behaviour. This would mean keeping tight control over them while not actually confining them in prison. There was even speculation the government might try to challenge its obligations under European law. Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, the civil liberties group, said: "I'm delighted that the new home secretary is finally responding to the House of Lords' damning verdict on detention without trial. I hope, however, that he will honour the spirit as well as the letter of this judgment and fully comply with human rights values in any new anti-terror measures." Mr Clarke has signalled that he wants to secure deals with north African countries to enable some of the suspects to be deported without the risk of being tortured or sentenced to death in their homelands. The development came as the last four British detainees to return from Guantänamo Bay were being questioned last night by detectives at a central London police station. Moazzam Begg, Feroz Abbasi, Martin Mubanga and Richard Belmar were arrested as they arrived back in Britain yesterday after almost three years in custody at the US base in Cuba. The men are now expected to sue the US government for compensation. Shortly after the RAF aircraft carrying them touched down, they were taken to Paddington Green for questioning. Their return prompted fresh calls for the government to rethink its anti-terror legislation. Edward Nally, president of the Law Society, said ministers ought now to "pause for thought". The decision to arrest the men was taken in spite of protests from Muslim leaders and a plea from their lawyers not to detain them. The US suspects the four, who were captured three years ago during the war in Afghanistan, of links with the al-Qaeda terrorist organisation. Their lawyers say they did nothing wrong. The men's families are expecting to see them today. Posted by: Dan Darling 2005-01-26 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=54672 |