The Mail on Sunday is doing a very good job on the odious Jack Straw’s involvement in torture and persecution. I think that at last the truth has entered the established narrative. There is a little box in the report about my own evidence to Scotland Yard. I will type it out here as the Mail’s box format here is not internet searchable:
“Torture” Evidence Handed to the Yard
Further pressure was piled on Jack Straw last night over the “rendition” of Libyan dissident Abdel Hakim Belhadj after sensitive documents were handed to Scotland tard detectives.
Craig Murray, former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, passed the documents to police as part of the inquiry into the behaviour of Ministers and intelligence officials over the detention of Mr Belhadj in Bangkok in March 2004.
The opponent of Colonel Gadaffi was flown to Tripoli, where he claims he was tortured.
Mr Straw, who was Foreign Secretary at the time, has denied ever condoning the use of torture to extract information.
But the documents appear to cast doubt on that position.
One memo, headed “Uzbekistan: Intelligence Possibly Obtained Under Torture” contains minutes of a meeting Mr Murray held with senior Foreign and Commonwealth officials on March 8, 2003 to discuss his concern that the UK could be in breach of international law by possessing intelligence obtained by torture.
The minute, dated March 10 2003, quoted Linda Duffield, then the FCO’s Director of Wider Europe, apparently justifying the use of such material as part of the fight against terrorism.
A second memo, dated March 14 2003, and written by Simon McDonald – the Straw’s principal Private Secretary – to Ms Duffield says Straw has read the minutes and “agrees that you handled this very well”.
Mr Murray is understood to have told police that during Mr Straw’s time at the FCO diplomats were told to only refer to the policy on torture verbally.
Mr Murray said last night “My evidence stated that Jack Straw introduced a policy of allowing evidence obtained by torture to be used. I also told them that written evidence had been destrpyed, and we were told to not commit details into writing.”
There is a slight misquote in the above. It should say Jack Straw introduced a policy of allowing intelligence obtained by torture, not evidence. In fact it was specifically stated such intelligence would not be produced as evidence in court (people were imprisoned without charge or rendered instead). The instruction not to put things in writing was given to me personally, I don’t know if others were told the same. As I was the only one protesting, perhaps not.
These links are to the documents in question.
The first two were obtained by Freedom of Information Act request. Details of the CIA’s colllusion with the Karimiv regime’s torturers have been redacted by the FCO. Last week Jack Straw came out and argued strongly for the effective abolition of the Freedom of Information Act. Now there is a coincidence for you.
Mary
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What else is to expect from T Blair? For some $ or £ or Euroes this guy would probably sell his relatives if price is right.
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Not to act as Nazarbaev’s apologist but it needs to be pointed out that in Central Asia (if not in all former USSR) Kazakhstan is the most stable and the most liberal (comparatively of course) society. Whether it is due to discovery of vast reserves of oil, or due to large proportion of Slavic population, but fact is that overall Kazakhs (Kazakhs and Slavs) are much better off than any other former Soviet citizens. Nazarbaev’s grip on power is no doubt unchallenged but at the same time he preceded over the most successful economic development of any post Soviet nation (seemingly the only comparatively successful economic development outside of Russia). Considering economic and social decline in other Central Asian republics followed by establishment of tyrannies one would assume that Nazarbaev’s policy is far from tyrannical.
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One another point that dictates Nazarbaev’s hardcore political course is ethno-management of Kazakhstan’s population. Just after collapse of USSR Kazakhstan experienced raise in nationalism which if allowed to develop would have been suicidal for the nation where titular ethogroup was in minority (in 1991 Slavs constituted 56% of population in Kazakhstan). At the same time despite economic downturn Kremlin was still very sensitive when Slavs were discriminated in Central Asia and in this case Kazakhstan was the most problematic. Some sources suggest that Kremlin did not dismiss the use of military force if Kazakh nationalism was not contained. In circumstances like this Nazarbaev’s candidacy was (at that time) the most compromising figure that was acceptable to both Kazakhs and Slavs.
NHS
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The Secretary of State can grant an exception of license for health care service providers.
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Licenses are issued by ‘Monitor’ formally the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundations Trusts.
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Monitor consists of members appointed by the Secretary of State for Health.
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Chair and Chief Executive of ‘Monitor’ is Dr David Bennett, formally Chief Policy Adviser to war criminal Tony Blair.
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Bennett worked for Chicago based, illegal insider trading, McKinsey & Co for 18 years.
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In other words our NHS is fucked from now forward.
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http://www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk/about-monitor/who-we-are/the-board
What was in it for Salmond?
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Leveson inquiry: Alex Salmond was ‘at NI’s disposal’ over BSkyB bid
It is alleged that Alex Salmond was available to lobby on NI’s behalf
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Published on Tuesday 24 April 2012 16:15
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NEWS International advisers have claimed Alex Salmond was available to lobby the UK Government “whenever we need him to” in order to press home their takeover of BSkyB, the Leveson inquiry has been told.
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• E-mails from News International claim that Alex Salmond had thrown his support behind News International’s bid to takeover BSkyB, and was available to lobby UK government on their behalf
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• James Murdoch, speaking at the inquiry today, denies allegations that Mr Salmond sought the backing of the Scottish Sun in last year’s elections in return for his support on takeover bid
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/..
http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/leveson-inquiry-alex-salmond-was-at-ni-s-disposal-over-bskyb-bid-1-2252801
Illuminating piece by the former editor of the Independent.
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The day James and Rebekah revealed the arrogant Murdoch way of business
There was a telling lack of judgment on display when James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks burst into the Independent to berate me
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Simon Kelner
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 April 2012 16.57 BS
[…]
‘Brooks said very little, but, when her boss’s rage blew itself out, chipped in with: “We thought you were our friend”. Their use of language and the threatening nature of their approach came straight from the “Mafioso for Beginners” handbook.
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Murdoch referred to “my family” constantly, something he echoed in his Leveson evidence today. Referring to this exchange, he said that I had been the beneficiary “of my family’s hospitality for a number of years”. Set in the context of his many dissemblings and obfuscations over recent months, the fact that this is a bald-faced lie is neither here nor there, just a casual slur despatched with little regard for the facts. (For the record, I went to Elisabeth Murdoch’s 40th birthday party in September 2008, the only time I can be accused of “availing myself” of Murdoch hospitality.)
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His statement does, however, reveal a much wider and more significant truth: the Murdoch way of doing business. If you come to our parties, if you join us on our yachts, if you are at our cosily-arranged dinner table, we might expect something in return, but we certainly don’t expect you act in a way contrary to our interests. And if our largest-selling newspaper supports your political party … well, it’s not difficult to guess the rest.’
[..]
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/24/james-murdoch-rebekah-brooks-simon-kelner-independen
Uzbek,
isn’t not strange to read some of the names in those links and their country-destinations they ended up in the end? Some nations/peoples have corruption in their genes, and they pretend to be protectors of victims of different sort!!
Fedup
Yes, there’s definitely truth in what you say:
‘For some reason all the more extraordinary characters in SIS turn out to be “sexual deviants” (whatever that may mean) ever since Alan Turing SIS has been using these, and as history proves abusing these too.’
Here are are three more victims of our great nation’s intelligence services
This comes from a report on the death of Jonathan Moyle that appeared in the Guardian on 2nd June 1990:
‘British officials in Chile are claiming that the dead defence journalist Jonathan Moyle was a sexual deviant who hanged himself while attempting to obtain pleasure. It is understood that members of MI5 have made the same assertion in London.’
and
‘It later transpired that he had been employed by MI6 and was visiting the Chilean capital to investigate an arms dealer trying to sell helicopters to Saddam Hussein’
http://www.theweek.co.uk/politics/12053/mi6-murder-who-planted-gay-contacts-stories#ixzz1sykc5s9o
Stephen Milligan, was a Tory MP and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the notorious arms dealer Jonathan Aitken, then a minister in the Tory government. On 7th February 1994, he was reported to have been found tied to a chair with a plastic bag over his head and a satsuma stuffed into his mouth. The usual embarrassment surrounding these cases seem to have prevented the press from carrying out an in-depth investigation into various discrepancies in the case. Aitken, was known to have an particular interest in Sado-Masochistic sex – Milligan wasn’t. He was engaged at the time to a women who is now a Tory MP. More relevant perhaps is Aitken’s well-documented links to intelligence agencies and his role in shadowy arms deals that were conducted in the Ritz hotel in Paris in 1993.
James Rusbridger, who died the same month as Stephen Milligan, was an ex-MI6 agent and respected investigative journalist specialising in intelligence matters. He was found hanging from a beam in his loft wearing a diving suit at his house in Bodmin Moor, Cornwall in February 1994. When his body was discovered, he was dressed in a green protective suit for use in nuclear, biological or chemical warfare, green overalls, a black plastic mackintosh and thick rubber gloves. His face was covered by a gas mask and he was also wearing a sou’wester. His body was suspended from two ropes, attached to shackles fastened to a piece of wood across the open loft hatch, and was surrounded by pictures of men and mainly black women in bondage. Consultant pathologist Dr Yasai Sivathondan said he died from asphyxia due to hanging “in keeping with a form of sexual strangulation”.
http://www.fantompowa.net/Flame/autoerotic_deaths_in_uk.htm
If Dr Kelly had been a bit younger he might’ve suffered the same fate.
Mary, what do you think?
Honest, believable and extraordinary – “The World Tomorrow” – Assange eyeball to eyeball, entangled with two cents worth of post WWII welfare European “cultural theme-park” nonsense; a diversionary tactic to take the edge off the Palestinian struggle for statehood, freedom and genuine democracy. Hats off RT!
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http://assange.rt.com/
Mary said :The British victims of the wars are the responsiblity of the governments who sent them to kill and maim, not charities. These charities, especially Help for Heroes and the Poppy Appeal, are used by the warmongers to promote the continuance of the wars. The Military Wives didn’t do badly either.:
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Agreed. I will not ever support the “murder for profit” and “murder for Zionists” mercenaries. If they get blown up and killed or maimed while on these operations then it’s their own fault for joining up.
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There’s no excuse for not being properly educated in what these violent invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq are all about. Anyone signing on the dotted line should take some responsibility to learn exactly what they are signing up to.
Hope you’re all enjoying Jeremy Hunt squirming. You’d never see an upstanding SNP politician get into such a compromising position with the Murdochs, would you?
Ref Mr Jeremy Richard Streynsham Hunt elder son of Admiral Sir Nicholas Hunt
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Wikipedia {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Hunt_(politician)}
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On his return to Britain, Hunt set up a business exporting marmalade to Japan. When this flopped, Hunt joined Profile PR, a public relations agency specialising in IT which he co-founded with Mike Elms, a childhood friend. With clients such as BT, Bull Integris, and Zetafax Profile did well during the IT boom of the mid 1990s. Hunt and Elms later sold their interest in Profile to concentrate on directory publishing. Together they founded a company now known as Hotcourses a major client of whose is the British Council.
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Hotcourses has subsequently provided financial support to Hunt’s parliamentary office.[3]
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From his Electoral Declaration 7 April 2010
http://www.jeremyhunt.org/pdf/CandidateDeclarationForm.pdf
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Shareholdings
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48.75% of Hotcourses Ltd, an educational publisher. I intend to continue to hold these shares, if elected. I do not intend to take on any additional shareholdings.
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Hotcourses Ltd. Company Check website
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Cash at Bank : £8,848,156
Cash at bank and ‘in hand’ is the bank balance for HOTCOURSES LTD at the end date of the period the accounts were for.
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Net Worth : £4,229,801
A company’s Net Worth is calculated as Shareholders Funds minus Intangible Assets. £4,229,801 is from the accounts filed in 2010
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The sum of Stocks, Trade Debtors, Cash and Miscellaneous Current Assets in 2010
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Total Current Assets : £11,577,819
The sum of Stocks, Trade Debtors, Cash and Miscellaneous Current Assets in 2010
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Total Current Liabilities : £7,608,704
The sum of Trade Creditors, Bank Overdraft and Miscellaneous Current Liabilities in 2010
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I assume that dividends are paid on this shareholding. I also note that in spite of having wealth in £multi millions he used to claim for mortgage payments on Additional Secondary Allowances.
What will Rupe’s performance at Leveson be like without the support of Wendi Deng and Murdoch Jnr?
Why does he always remind me of a rabbit caught in the headlights?
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Jeremy Hunt On News International Takeover Talks – NOTW Phone Hacking *NEW* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YRn1p-Xvjw&feature=related
Thanks for that resumee Ruth, what a picture this paints of MI5/6. As if they are projecting their own picadillos on to the victims of their trade. Surely nobody in public will ask any further questions as to why someone is found with a diving suit and/or orange stuffed up their throats, the desired effect of their actions.
I asked mark G. whether it is feasible that the Williams body bag case could have been carried out to stop the rot, to shut up others, who might have equally been disaffected with their prospects and the working environment they have to endure?
If Williams was one of others, then these increasing occurences could be an indication that all is not well inside the service.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/24/kenyans-allege-british-involvement-rendition
More UK rendition news today
O/T Climategate UEA hired Neil Wallis of NI fame to manage its global media storm. It cost them 100.000 and they should ask for it back.
It is almost a given that he used his phone hacking skills to make a few extra bucks with NI whilst the story was breaking. Far from smoothing the waves, the man seem to have kept it in the news for his bosses.
Another one of these Archant stories one cannot comment on…
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/education/university_of_east_anglia_spent_over_100_000_managing_media_storm_surrounding_cimategate_scandal_1_1358727
Komodo, I hope you didn’t take my comment yesterday as putting you off; I meant edit Wikipedia +as well as+ commenting here, of course ; )
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P.S. check your Inbox.
Arrest
On 14 July 2011, Mr Wallis was arrested by the Metropolitan Police investigating the News of the World phone hacking scandal.[12] Upon the announcement of this Outside Organisation edited their website, removing his listing as MD and a part of his biography which had stated “What he [Wallis] doesn’t know about journalism and media isn’t worth knowing”.[13]
🙂
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Wallis
Breaking News:Jeremy Hunt to make a statement to Commons at 12.30 BST over claims to Leveson Inquiry about his role in News Corp’s bid for BSkyB
Alan Campbell,
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I bid that dirt can be found on ANY politician. Sincerely politicians only exist in memories and books about political theories. Politics is dirty business that involves finding dirt on your opponents (in the West) and torturing your opponents before they can challenge you (in the rest of the world).
TonyF12,
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My own sources suggest that particular ‘story’ is only a conduit for the Foreign Office to declare, “The UK government’s policy is clear: we do not participate in, solicit, encourage or condone the use of torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment for any purpose…”
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Therefore I suggest you take it ‘with a pinch of salt’ – These men are Muslim converts from Kawangware, Athi River and Tanzania; fighting alongside Al-Shabaab and have been killing Kenyan Somalis in North Eastern Kenya corroborated by a report from the United Nations Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea.
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Get the facts right Cobain and the mug shots!
Much of the Daily Mail is deplorable. But its front page is getting better and better –
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2131785/Jack-Straw-Ministers-accused-backing-torture-want-secrecy-public-life.html
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This points up, without barring too many holds, something I flagged earlier.
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The precise relationship of Straw and NI during the Blair years may yet surface in the Leveson hearings. Fingers crossed.
Sacrificial lamb is first over the cliff:
Jeremy Hunt’s special adviser, Adam Smith, resigns before Prime Ministers Questions and PM statement – @BBCNews
[Mod/Clark: Comment deleted. Inflammatory support for Hitler’s atrocities against Jews.]
lol @ Hunt. Radio 4 this morning (quoting interview yesterday), asked if he was going to resign: “This is not a time for kneejerk reactions.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17834457
“Rather than jump on a political bandwagon….” (ibid), Hunt has thrown Adam Smith off it. Hunt himself doesn’t seem to have done the decent thing and shot himself yet. He’s still in place.
I will change the metaphor, not a rabbit in the headlights but rather a fish out of water and gasping for air.
Hunt’s a media-trained liar. Rupe’s people probably taught him how to do the constant maniacal nodding, smiling and wide-eyed stare at the camera. Engage, affirm, and pretend to be open to examination.
Hunt got flown to Singapore and Korea in 2010 by something called Huntsworth plc, in conjunction with John Lewis, who is something to do with Hotcourses, (co-founded by Hunt and Mike Elms to do private educational publishing on propaganda – one of its customers is the British Council, and Estelle Morris is also on board). Huntsworth (flogging PR and integrated healthcare solutions solutions)was founded by Lord Chadlington, who is its CEO. Who he? John Gummer. You wondered what became of the burger king, admit it.
*deep breath*
http://article.wn.com/view/2011/11/23/Cameron_in_140000_deal_with_Tory_donor_Lord_Chadlington_to_b/
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I do hope Rupe spills the beans. It’s like a row of dominoes awaiting a push.
And their public school and university debating societies contribute to their facility with the spoken word. Hunt Charterhouse/Oxford, Cameron Eton/Oxford and Bullingdon, Osborne St Paul’s/Oxford and Bullingdon are all sitting in a line at the moment.
All over, for now. They retreat to fill their faces and to down some alcohol from one of the four subsidized HoC bars.
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I put a link to Hunt and his sharegolding in Hot Courses earlier.
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btw John Lewis is not the store of the eponymous list against which the troughers’ expenses were judged. He’s an individual donor from Dorset!
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Hunt employed Gummer’s daughter. That’s jobs for the girls.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/19/jeremy-hunt-naomi-gummer-chadlington-dcms
Correction, Chadlington is John Gummer’s brother. John Gummer is Baron Deben. And he is no longer the CEO of Huntsworth, but is an executive director. Financial wizard? I think not –
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In September 1996 Gummer became Chairman of the Royal Opera House.[9] Following a report by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee led by Gerald Kaufman which described the management of the Royal Opera House as “abysmal” with “incompetence, disastrous financial planning and misjudgement”, Gummer resigned in December 1997. (Wiki)
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Gummer’s chums: good catch from the BIJ –
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2012/04/24/a-fifth-of-the-lords-that-voted-on-health-bill-had-conflicted-interests/
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