Foreign Secretary David Miliband has written to Condoleezza Rice requesting the release of five former UK residents from Guantanamo Bay detention centre. The men have been named as: Shaker Abdur-Raheem Aamer, Jamil el-Banna, Omar Deghayes, Binyam Mohammed al Habashi and Abdulnour Sameur.
The US are said to be considering the request. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the request was: "well within the confines of our policy. We don't want to be the world's jailers. At the same time, we also don't want to see very dangerous people allowed to walk the streets freely so they can pose a threat to our citizens as well as others."
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "The government will of course continue to take all necessary measures to maintain national security. Should these men be returned to the UK, the same security considerations and actions will apply to them as would apply to any other foreign national in this country."
The US are said to be considering the request. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the request was: "well within the confines of our policy. We don't want to be the world's jailers. At the same time, we also don't want to see very dangerous people allowed to walk the streets freely so they can pose a threat to our citizens as well as others."
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "The government will of course continue to take all necessary measures to maintain national security. Should these men be returned to the UK, the same security considerations and actions will apply to them as would apply to any other foreign national in this country."
Q. Should the government be asking for the return of the five men held at Guantanamo Bay?
Click: HERE to vote.
(The results are archived by the British Library)
4 comments:
And there is the cynicism in one. For what possible reason would the government wish to repatriate known terrorists? I can think of one only.
Tea at No.10?
This is The Greet Broon's anti American posturing to the British voter. I hardly think NuLabour worries about the possible consequence of such a request for the British people. Certainly none of these terrorists are likely to end up in his Scotland.
I actually voted No on this question, as I feel that none of the men are actually british/english. I have no problem wi5th the UK asking for them to be freed and repatriated to their home countries, but to be brought back to the UK on the spurious reason that this was the last country they applied for asylum in is wrong.
Post a Comment