The security services are delighted at the cancellation of the Gibson Inquiry into torture. Gibson had been showing worrying signs of independence. To use my own humble case as an example, he instructed the FCO, to their fury, that I must be allowed to see unredacted any document which I had already seen whilst Ambassador, and that I must be provided with paid legal assistance for my evidence on the same basis as other former public servants.
It is true that the terms which the government had set for the inquiry were ludicrous. Security service evidence would all be heard in secret, victims would not be allowed to question witnesses, the Cabinet Secretary, not Gibson, would decide what could and could not be published, and the CIA would have a veto on the publication of anything that related to their activities – including my own evidence.
But it was nonetheless true that a bad inquiry would be better than no inquiry, particularly given Gibson’s signs of fairness. Nothing short of assassination would prevent me from publishing my own evidence online, for example, and I would encourage detainees and others to take the same attitude.
The huge amount of time and energy devoted by the security services to persuade ministers firstly to constrain and then to cancel Gibson, is sufficient evidence in itself that the Gibson Inquiry would have been worth having. John Sawers has devoted more of his time to fighting the inquiry internally than to any single other subject, and become a hero to the torturers of Vauxhall Cross in the process.
It is ludicrous that Kenneth Clarke has announced that the Gibson Inquiry cannot go ahead because of the Metropolitan Police inquiry into rendition and torture anent Libya, when the Leveson Inquiry continues despite the long-running and delberately ineffective police investigations into News International.
The Gibson Inquiry contacted me in a friendly and helpful way, inviting me to submit a short evidence narrative for consideration in the interim report they will publish, to explain and put in context the official documents which I had supplied.
It dawned on me that my evidence of ministerial endorsement of a secret policy of collusion in torture, is extremely important to the Metropolitan Police investigation into rendition and torture, in favour of which Gibson has been cancelled.
This morning I therefore contacted Scotland Yard. I gave details of who I was and what I wanted to give evidence about. I was told a senior inspector would need to be consulted. Eventually, I was phoned back.
Scotland Yard stated that there is no investigation into complicity with rendition and torture in Libya.
UPDATE: Through the Gibson Inquiry secretariat I have now been put in contact with a senior policeman who will see me next week. Insofar as it is wise to comment on a criminal investigation (I certainly don’t want to jeopardise any prosecution) I will keep you posted on how “real” the police investigation seems to be.
Clark, thank you for the link (Cotton), I have signed, as well as sent to everyonein my email address book, as well as posting it on my FB.
In addition, this just came up, Clark….
Shades of Valerie Plame and Joe Clark….The Kiriakous on the hotseat.
Weird synchronicity here, with Fitz as Prosecutor/Iran-Iraq. Deja-vu, all over again.
http://www.emptywheel.net/2012/01/25/cia-ousts-another-officer-working-on-iran-because-of-political-shitstorm/
“I will keep you posted on how “real” the police investigation seems to be.”
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As real as this
http://www.firmmagazine.com/news/2783/Lockerbie_additional_police_claim_%22a_waste_of_time_and_money%22_says_QC.html
Here is something extraordinary interesting indeed
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“Nat Rothschild seeks ‘very substantial’ damages over newspaper claims”
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Mr Tomlinson said: “Mr Rothschild is a financier of GREAT international reputation. As a financier, his reputation is extremely important to him.
“He is a man who regularly approaches major institutions to raise considerable sums of money and his integrity is absolutely crucial to the deals that he does.”
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/nat-rothschild-seeks-very-substantial-191805995.html
Don’t worry too much about jeopardising any prosecutions, because there are not going to be any, not under Gibson, not under a police inquiry, not anywhere, any time, any place. The only likelihood of a prosecution is against a minion who ‘chose to disobey protocol’. I understand your integrity in this but my cynicism grows daily, especially since the US soldiers who shot up and killed villagers in revenge for a roadside bomb in Iraq were pretty well absolved of any wrongdoing. Justice today is farcical.
Why are these loadsofmoney Saudis abandoning this Sheerness firm and its employees?
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16728408
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PS Happy Burns Night to Craig and all those who wish to break away. The referendum question – The SNP leader said Scots would be asked: “Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?” in a ballot which he wants to hold in 2014
Mary,a good question it is, and they want to give 16 and 17 year olds the vote in that referendum, which should be a winner. Secondly, they will have no more argument to delay letting 16 year olds vote in general elections. I like the way they are setting precedences, 🙂 cause England, just as any other union country, would not get away with having arbitrary arrangements.
Yers happy Burns night. This German has got himself a haggis, some neeps and tatties as well as the main ingredients, some prose and wiski.
From time to time, if it is helpful, I like to give you some yankee links. This is an Econ blog that seems right on most of the time.
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2012/01/lessons-for-europe’s-fiscal-union-from-us-federalism.html
“Before drawing too heavily on the US experience in concluding that constitutional debt brakes are a key solution to Europe’s debt problems, however, Europeans should consider three essential aspects of the context in which the balanced-budget rules of the American states operate.
First, the US constitutional design is very different from what European leaders envisage for the Eurozone, ie debt brakes that are mandated by the union and enforced by the Commission and the European Court of Justice. The difference is likely to be consequential in two respects. We suspect that local ownership and enforcement make debt brakes more effective than under central mandates, particularly in the context of credible no-bailout norms, and that rules that are centrally mandated are likely to prove to be more brittle than those adopted in a decentralised fashion. When one state violates the rule, as the experience with the Stability and Growth Pact demonstrates, its applicability to other states is less credible. That is less likely to be the case with rules that have been adopted autonomously.
We acknowledge that some of the impetus for debt brakes comes from within Eurozone countries. The present crisis could be sufficiently traumatic and thus politically transformative to produce an autonomous reduction in debt tolerance within some of the most afflicted member states, just as the American states adopted balanced-budget rules autonomously from the federal government in the 19th century. Such an autonomous change in preferences would serve as an omen for the effectiveness of debt brakes. But the strength of the internal shift in debt tolerance is uncertain and is likely to vary significantly among member states.”
For Burns Night one of those joke things that came by e-mail from Yankee land. D)
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An Arab Sheik was admitted to St Vincents Hospital for heart surgery, but prior to the surgery, the doctors needed to store his blood in case the need arose.
As the gentleman had a rare type of blood, it couldn’t be found locally, so, the call
went out to all the states.
Finally a Scot was located who had a similar blood type. The Scot willingly donated
his blood for the Arab. After the surgery, the Arab sent the Scotsman as appreciation for giving his blood, a new BMW, diamonds & US dollars.
A couple of days later, once again, the Arab had to go through a corrective surgery. His doctor telephoned the Scotsman who was more than happy to donate his blood again.
After the second surgery, the Arab sent the Scotsman a thank-you card & a jar of candies. The Scotsman was shocked that the Arab this time did not reciprocate his kind gesture as he had anticipated. He phoned the Arab & asked him: “I thought you would be generous again, that you would give me a BMW, diamonds & money… But you only gave me a
thank-you card & a jar of candies”.
To this the Arab replied: “Aye, but I now have Scottish blood in my veins”.
” “Aye, but I now have Scottish blood in my veins”.”
Now, that’s funny….
I’ll mention again, the case of Salahuddin Amin, whose evidence, extracted under torture by the pakistan ISI, after Amin volunteered himself to the Pakistan authorities, was used to shore up the Operation Crevice/’Feriliser Plot’ convictions.
No wonder Gibson wouldn’t go there…..
Hot off the press. Slightly OT as it regards Goldsmith’s lies to Chilcot. Another unminuted meeting.
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http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28859
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Stephen Frost is one of the Medical experts challenging the AG’s decision not to hold an inquest into the death of weapons’ expert Dr David Kelly.
The Usual Sick Assasins pissing on the world from Haditha to Abu Ghraib from Fallujah to Bagram with this Kingdom of Uranus sliming on behind. Water boarding sliting pricks think of a horror we do it they do it Bliar Sawer Evans the public will never know as all they read is the Sun or the Wail.What a black black nightmare for the people of Iraq Afghanistan Libya and soon I fear Syria and Iran.A Holocaust for our brave new century,can anyone think of any way this can be STOPPED???
Scotland Yard stated that there is no investigation into complicity with rendition and torture in Libya.
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Funny that. I thought it was precisely that investigation which caused K Clarke to stop the Gibson enquiry.
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Scotland Yard put out another statement this morning denying their own existence. ‘ Some people have been watching far too much Sherlock Holmes mysteries and Mid Summer murders. ‘ This may have led them to believe that police officers are employed in investigating criminal activity.
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The statement read that ‘ If we exist, which we categorically deny, it is only as a sub-plot of a popular crime writer and TV series. No-one should read other things into that, such as the existence of the Police in reality. They are living in cloud-cuckoo land, and spend too much time reading misinformation on the internet.
In case anyone missed it, here’s how the US of A deals with its war criminals:
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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/24/marine-to-serve-no-time-for-killing-24-iraqi-civilians
!!!! Just for information
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http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/are-independence-scare-stories-more-likely-to-have-the-opposite-effect.16544233
Just saw this from Craig (up above):
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UPDATE: Through the Gibson Inquiry secretariat I have now been put in contact with a senior policeman who will see me next week. Insofar as it is wise to comment on a criminal investigation (I certainly don’t want to jeopardise any prosecution) I will keep you posted on how “real” the police investigation seems to be.
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Small mercies I suppose
Craig – may the Force go with you. Gan canny as I believe some say.
Re. Mary’s Scotsman joke,how about we replace the Scotsman with a Jew? Oh aye,cannae huv that,that’d be racist!!! Seems we Scots are still fair game for xenophobic stereotyping! SAOR ALBA!
Hi Craig, I read your testimony transcript linked to in your earlier post, Complicity in Torture. I’m trying to follow along as best I can, from a distance (America). One of the points you made was that UK policy changed between Thatcher and Blair. You knew personally that Thatcher rejected but Blair accepted evidence obtained by torture. But there was no written policy then that anyone could produce to trace wording or responsibility. Has that policy been produced since your testimony? It was also described as a kind of schizo left hand/right hand thing, that one hand would loudly and brightly condemn what the other was quietly and darkly facilitating. Is that where the ball was at with the Gibson inquiry?
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Thanks
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Transcript: http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/Uncorrected%20Transcript%2028%20April%2009.doc
@mary
The Daily Mail gave over the front page of its ‘Scottish’ edition to a declaration of support for the Union, swearing damnation to all those who would destroy it. Looks like independence is in the bag.
@craig
There are several superficially unrelated cases hanging in space at the moment: the extra-judicial execution of Dr David Kelly, the framing of Megrahi for the Lockerbie bombing, the Werrity affair, state complicity in torture, the News International hacking scandal. I don’t think we can arrive at justice in any single one of these matters – all will be resolved, or none. My money’s on none, but good luck anyway.
Scottish parsimony eh?
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Just another Enger-lund PR myth developed conveniently over a few suitable centuries.
Me In Us
It was also described as a kind of schizo left hand/right hand thing, that one hand would loudly and brightly condemn what the other was quietly and darkly facilitating. Is that where the ball was at with the Gibson inquiry?
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No, that isn’t where the ball was at that hearing.
It was stuffy, nit-picking, legalistic, UK parliamentary quibbling about the right to torture in order to save lives, and the decision of George Bush to cancel the Geneva Convention rights of captives under the terms of the War on Terror.
They were trying to justify torture and rendition in the circumstances of the time, combined with flat denials from David Miliband.
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The new Tory party in power today is on the schizo left/right hand not knowing what they were doing. That is because they know they can’t keep the lid on the criminal activities of the UK government any longer. This Tory government is now linked not only to Zionism but also to political Islamism. between the two, the latter are the more schizo, and the greater liars.
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The ball was in the Zionist playing field when Craig gave his testimony. It is now in the playing field of political Islam.
The Tories are recruiting their old friends Al Qaida to fight proxy colonial wars in Libya, Syria and later Jordan. Al Qaida have no connection with Islam, just a miss-match of blood-thirsty fanatics crammed into one pocket of the West’s great coat while the Zionists occupy the pocket on the other side.
A fog of deception is being woven, thicker than the old Victorian smogs of London, in which you literally cannot see your own hand.
From a CNN source on Twitter
BREAKING: Doctors without Borders pulling out of Misrata Libya over detainees “being tortured and denied urgent medical care,” MSF says
The dictator’s daughter was splashing in Paris fashion week yesterday
http://www.stylebistro.com/Best+and+Worst+Dressed+Paris+Couture+Week+Attendees+Spring+2012/articles/zM9-GF_Zh0B/Gulnara+Karimova+at+Chanel
@pictishbeastie/@Jives – I think some national stereotypes can be amusing, but the intent of the speaker is critical. There was a poster that went up in the US before Christmas which made the same sort of joke about Jewish people (“Christmas quality, Hanukkah pricing”). But the intent would be difficult to paint as racist, given that the campaign manager responsible is himself Jewish.
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http://www.newser.com/story/133927/anti-semitic-hanukkah-vodka-ad-pulled.html
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It matters also whether ones target group has historically been the target of substantial ongoing racism. The Scots have broadly not imo, just the same as the English. Making black stereotypes however is quite a different matter, as it is tainted by the history of genuine racism. Unfair possibly, but that’s how it is.
PictishBeastie It was only a joke for Burns night. Sorry if it offended you and other Scots.
Blair always used to refer to those who fought against our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan as ‘foreigners’, forgetting our own position in those lands.
So Arab Sheikh topped up by English blood transfusion would announce, ‘ I feel so much better, I feel as if I now belong in my own homeland.’
Vronsky, you can add to that list of overhanging cases those of Bradley Manning and Julian Assange. The law has changed and continues to change for the worse. While Bradley Manning rots in prison for speaking the truth, and Mordechai Vanunu continues to be under house arrest for the same reason, mass-murdering marines go free.
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http://poetry-24.blogspot.com/2012/01/devils-own.html
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Comments are welcomed at Poetry24.