Counterterrorism experts criticise the US ‘war on terror’, Hannah Cooper

Hannah Cooper — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:52:32 +0100

Within days of each other, two senior British counterterrorism officials criticised the United States for what they described as its overly militaristic approach to fighting terrorism and for allowing the erosion of civil liberties. One of these officials was Dame Stella Rimington, former Director-General of MI5 from 1992 to 1996. She hoped that the next American president would "stop using the phrase ‘war on terror'", saying that the attacks of 11 September 2001 had been tragic but did not warrant such an extreme response.Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.

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The other official, Sir Ken MacDonald, Director of Public Prosecutions in England and Wales, has overseen the country's terrorism trials for the past several years. He rejected "the Guantanamo model" - the curtailment or rights and liberties in response to the threat of terrorism.

The toD verdict: It is rare for officials of such standing to be so overtly critical of the US, a close British ally in the "war on terrorism". In addition, despite British criticism of Guantanamo, secret detentions and the denial of habeas corpus to terrorist suspects in the United States, the "police state" is arguably far more intrusive in the UK (for instance, the widespread use of surveillance cameras means that British citizens are some of the most watched in the world). Dame Stella Rimington was also strongly against the introduction of ID cards and the 42-day pre-charge detention proposal for security purposes, saying they would be unnecessary and counterproductive.

The major difference between the US and British response to terrorism is evident in the way suspects are treated: whilst there have been very few prosecutions against suspects linked to the 9/11 attacks, all the major terrorist attacks in Britain since 2005 have resulted in convictions.

Eighteen dead, 30 injured in Indian bomb attack

A bomb attack in Imphal, the capital of Manipur in northeastern India, has killed 18 and left around 30 injured. The explosion, which took place on Tuesday night and was the work of unknown militants, was set off next to a high-security Police Commandos' Complex. Sources said that there were security personnel amongst the victims. This blast is the second in a week, following the explosion on Sunday next to Chief Minister Ibodi Singh's heavily-fortified residence; militants of the Cobra Task Force of the People's Revolutionary Part of Kangleipak (PREPAK), a banned organisation, have claimed responsibility for this second bomb, which claimed no casualties.

Guantánamo detainees have charges lifted

Five detainees of Guantánamo Bay were acquitted of war crimes charges on Tuesday, including the former British resident Binyam Mohammed who claimed that harsh torture techniques were used on him whilst in custody. This decision puts into question the judiciary system currently in place for Guantánamo inmates: all five cases, which will be resubmitted after having their files reviewed, had been handled by Lieutenant Colonel Darrel Vandeveld, a military prosecutor who resigned in September after a public statement during which he highlighted the systemic ethical problems involved in the prosecution. Six military prosecutors have quit the Guantanamo court in the last four years, claiming that the US government sought to use evidence obtained through torture and that the trials were marred by political interference.

Canadian officials implicated in torture of citizens

A Canadian inquest has revealed that Canadian officials indirectly contributed to the arrest and torture of three Canadian citizens in Syria and Egypt. Ahmad El Maati, Abdullah Almalki and Muayyed Nureddin were arrested by the Syrian Military Intelligence during trips abroad between 2001 and 2004 on the grounds of their alleged links with Al Qaeda, and later released without charge. The inquiry says that such techniques as beatings with electric cables, burning with cigarettes and being kicked in the genitals were used on the men whilst in custody. Frank Iacobucci, a retired Supreme Court judge who carried out the report, said that the mistreatment of the men did not result directly from any Canadian action, but Canadian officials indirectly led to the torture of El Maati and Almalki and probably to that of Nureddin. Iacobucci stresses that "I found no evidence that any of these officials were seeking to do anything other than carry out conscientiously the duties and responsibilities of the institutions of which they were a part."

Violence breaks out during Greek strike

Violence broke out between youths and riot police in Athens during a nationwide strike that brought the country to a standstill on Tuesday. At one of two marches in the Greek capital protestors threw stones at the police who retaliated with tear gas. Other demonstrations passed peacefully, and no injuries have been reported. Flights to and from Greece were grounded, public services and banks shut and transport halted on Tuesday as thousands of workers protested against the government's economic policy. The largest umbrella union, GSEE, said that participation of workers was in the hundreds of thousands and may have run to 90% of the workforce, in a 24-hour strike which was intended to show discontent at the draft budget for 2009. According to government figures, one in five Greeks lives below the poverty line, earning less than 5,000 euros a year, and according to unions even more people could be pulled into poverty as a result of widespread job losses and government reforms to Greek wage and social security benefits.

Clashes kill 15 in Iraq

At least 15 people were left dead, with several injured, after clashes between militants and Sunni tribesmen in Babil province on Tuesday, ahead of a transfer of security in the central Iraqi province which is to take place on Thursday. The town of Jurf al-Sakhr, which was the scene of the violence, has come under the sway of the anti-al-Qaida militia formed by the al-Osan and al-Ojan tribes. The rest of Babil province, on the other hand, has consistently seen sectarian violence, including a suicide attack in Hilla in March last year that left more than 100 Shia pilgrims dead.

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Counterterrorism experts criticise the US ‘war on terror’, Hannah Cooper