It was announced over the weekend that the government was seeking more powers to curb the threat of terrorism. However, the government already has more than enough powers at its disposal, and those have been abused as the courts have shown. For example, in 2002, Britain provided false information to America about Jamil el-Banna which led to him being arrested by the CIA and imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay without either charge or a trial. Now America accepts that Jamil el-Banna is not a suspected terrorist and has cleared him to be released from Guantanamo Bay. However, Britain is saying that it doesn't want an innocent man back. Why is this?
Mr Banna entered Britain from Jordan in 1994 after he was tortured. He was granted refugee status after it was accepted that he had been tortured. If he was returned to Jordan he faces being tortured again. His wife and children live in Britain. It is a national shame that Britain has decided that Mr Banna should remain in prison or return to Jordan and be tortured rather than face up to its responsibility for causing the false arrest and false imprisonment of an innocent man. I do not believe that the power should exist to cause unnecessary suffering to another human being just to hide from embarrassment.
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
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