Four British Guantanamo prisoners too dangerous to free

[AZCat]

Four British Guantanamo prisoners too dangerous to free

Mon Mar 8, 5:46 AM ET
LONDON (AFP) - US authorities believe four British prisoners being held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba are too dangerous to free, the Daily Telegraph reported ahead of the expected release of five other prisoners this week.

The report comes as Home Secretary David Blunkett heads to the United States, where he will finalize arrangements for the release of the five from the prison at the US naval base and seek fair treatment for the remaining four British detainees.

The four Britons who will not be released were trained in al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan (news - web sites ), where they were taught how to make bombs and urban guerrilla warfare techniques, the Daily Telegraph cited unnamed US officials as saying.

The four are too dangerous to free and would pose a serious threat if released.
<snip>

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1511&ncid=1511&e=10&u=/afp/20040308/wl_afp/britain_us_attacks_040308104651

Related Articles...

Blunkett to query Cuba case
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3541907.stm

Lawyer angry at Cuba releases
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3505365.stm

Guantanamo captives to come home
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3536021.stm


Question: Will the five Brits that are to be released face charges when they return to England? I have been unable to find anything that states one way or the other.

Edit: Spelling

[Liberal Veteran]

1. What bothers me about this....

Is that if they cannot charge them with anything but maintain they are too dangerous to free, how the hell can we continue to legally hold them?

It's like putting someone in jail for a thought crime.

[Kagemusha]

2. Congratulations! You now understand how the real world works.

Have a cookie.

Yes, it is for thoughtcrime. Or precrime, if you will.

[AZCat]

3. I'm sorry, we're going to need to take you into custody...

Your use of a 'cookie' to reward independent thought indicates subversive inclinations.

We're going to have to detain you until you can be transferred to a 'reeducation facility'.

Come along quietly, no need to fuss...



Brought to you by the Directorate of Homeland Freedom

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

4. re the 5 -- Blunkett's pretty much said no

tho there will be an investigation (which I think has already been launched) to see if charges can be brought. Some Tories have called for charges of treason to be brought, but again, that'll be on whatever evidence can be gathered. That said, under Blunkett's terrorism laws, he can get them arrested without charge indefinately so I guess it'll depend on the reaction from the right-wing press (I am that cynical!)

Also, FWIW, the families of the 4 are currently in Washinton with Terry Waite (ex-hostage), Vanessa Redgrave & Margaret Drabble to lobby for their release (hence the US's leaking of details about the 4).

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Blunkett may be pressing for a fair trial

for the remaining Britons in Guantanamo, but he's determined to keep his own prisoners without any evidence:

A special tribunal’s ruling that a detainee held without trial under controversial anti-terrorism powers should be freed is to be challenged by the Home Office, it emerged tonight.

The Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) found that there was “no reasonable suspicion” justifying the continuing detention of the un-named 37-year-old Libyan at Belmarsh maximum security prison in south east London.

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2624798

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

6. Yeah, I caught that on Channel 4 earlier

It's hard to distinguish Blunkett from Rory Bremner's characterisation of him at times!