The British have always been very proud of their asylum record. Those who found shelter there have belonged to all political movements, religious denominations and geographical locations. They included Marx and Engels, those who were fighting Britain’s own colonial occupation of their countries and those fleeing persecution. For the last 20 years they have also been protecting dissidents whose blind hatred and bloody plans threatened not just the countries from which they had fled, but the rest of the world, including as it turned out, even Britain. Yet despite the enormity of 9/11, many of these people were still given shelter until last month, when Britain experienced its own tragedy with the London bombings. Now too late, the authorities are seeking to deal with the ungrateful vipers in their midst.
Yesterday, 10 foreign nationals were detained by British police as threats to UK security. Some of these individuals were already under house arrest having been released from detention without charge in a high security prison for up to two years. Despite the protests of human rights lawyers, the men had originally been detained specifically because the authorities were not prepared to deport them to their home countries, where, it was argued, they could face persecution.
Now, however, the British have decided to move, taking matters into their own hands. A government minister has revealed that Algeria and Egypt are likely to sign “Memorandums of Assurance” similar to that recently agreed with Jordan, by which the home countries promise that returned citizens will not be tortured. Given that torture is illegal in every civilized country, this provision rather smacks of British interference in the legal systems of other states. It also rings hollow bearing in mind the British themselves mistreated IRA suspects during the troubles in Northern Ireland and the Americans have been guilty of torture in both Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay.
But, however, if the British choose to package their new tough line on foreign terrorists in their midst, their change of attitude is most welcome. There remain in Britain others who have gloried in the depravities of Al-Qaeda and backed and publicized their wicked crimes. Saudi dissidents are among them. Yet, as reported yesterday, repeated attempts by the outgoing Saudi ambassador to Britain, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, to have wanted individuals returned to the Kingdom, have been stonewalled by the British. Maybe now London will act against Saad Faqih, on the UN terror list for involvement in the murderous 1998 bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi and Mohammad Al-Masari whose website has eagerly publicized terrorist crimes, posting videos of suicide bombings and encouraging terror in the Kingdom itself.
No one can deny torture does sometimes occur, even in the UK and US. But there is a legal remedy against the torturer and it should always be used. However there is no remedy whatsoever for victims blown apart or maimed for life by the bombs of maddened and deluded terrorists.
