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Old 10th Mar 2004, 18:02
  #10 (permalink)  
Jackonicko
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Just behind the back of beyond....
Posts: 4,196
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There's a faint but nasty whiff of kneejerk, reactionary prejudice here, and perhaps some racism too.

Now IF these guys are guilty of having gone out and fought against us, I'd be all for charging them with treason, or at least under existing anti-terror legislation. And if there's evidence, I have no doubt that they'll be found guilty. (President Tone wouldn't want to be seen to be letting them go, against the wishes of the Americans).

BUT

For the last two years they've been banged up in solitary (under conditions which would not pass muster in the UK penal system) without charge, without proper legal representation, and without contact with their families, and having undergone what the UN would regard as torture. They're either criminals, in which case charge them and apply due process against them, or their PoWs, in which case treat them as such. But the USA's farce at Gitmo won't do, especially not when British citizens are concerned, and until they've been found guilty they should be treated with the courtesy and dignity we'd extend to any innocent person, because that's what we do in the civilised world.
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