Roger Godsiff

Labour Party | Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath

How Can Blair Let Our Citizens Be Tried By The USA’s Kangaroo Military Courts?

From an article that appeared in the Mail on Sunday, 6th July 2003

WHAT happened on September 11, 2001, was a crime against civilization. What happened when bombers destroyed a Bali bar leaving innocent young people mutilated and killed was a crime against us all. We have to pursue the indiscriminate international terrorists who carry out these evil atrocities. I have consistently supported the war against international terrorism. I strongly supported Britain and America pursuing the Taliban in Afghanistan. I opposed the war in Iraq, not because I did not want to see Saddam Hussein deposed, but because I thought it was a distraction in the war against international terrorism and the pursuit of Al Qaeda. But what separates us from the international terrorist is the fact that we respect the rule of law that underpins our democratic society. When we catch people we believe are involved in international terrorism, we undermine our own values unless we try those people in accordance with those laws. Donald Rumsfeld, the American defence secretary, seems to believe that he can override these principles. Instead, he is setting up a military tribunal to try the suspects, appointing judges and even the defence counsel, and laying down rules that allow part of the evidence to be kept secret from the prisoners. That is the sort of court that existed before Saddam Hussein was deposed in Iraq. It is the sort of court the civilised world does not accept, but which is now being proposed for the trial of my constituent, Moazzam Begg. America has already tried one person they believe was involved with Al Qaeda. But he was an American citizen and he was, quite rightly, brought before a US court. Mr Begg, the other British citizens, and indeed everyone held in Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba, for many months, should be granted the same rights. They should be tried in a proper court of law and given a similar chance of defending themselves. They need to have the opportunity to defend themselves in accordance with normal legal procedures so justice is seen to be done. What is being proposed by America undermines the very values on which we are fighting the war against international terrorism. We stand for democracy, we stand for freedom of speech and we underpin all this with the rule of law. To deny that to people who have allegedly committed such terrible crimes is, almost, to bring us down to the same level as the international terrorist. Moazzam Begg?s father, Azmat, came to see me some time ago to ask for my help in ensuring his son?s fair treatment. Azmat Begg is a respected member of the Asian community in Birmingham and I found him a dignified and principled man. His son, who is originally from my constituency, was arrested in Pakistan in February 2002. He is married with two daughters and two sons and had been running a school in Afghanistan which, his family says, was trying to boost literacy rates in the country. Mr Begg fled to Pakistan when the US bombing of Afghanistan started. I agreed to help his father and have been in touch with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for some months. Moazzam Begg has no consular status, but has been visited by representatives from the FCO and International Red Cross to assess his wellbeing. I was advised by the FCO not to raise the profile of the case as it might compromise any future visits to Mr Begg and the flow of news the family so desperately needed about their son. But now Azmat Begg has been told that his son is to face a military court. He heard the news from a message left on his answer phone by the FCO at 11.30pm. Ironically, the news came on the very day ? July 4 ? when Americans celebrate their independence and freedom. Clearly, the FCO?s policy of ?softly, softly? has not worked and I will now be raising this matter at the highest levels of Government. We need clarification on a number of matters urgently, not least in respect of standards of and access to evidence, rights of appeal and whether or not these intended proceedings will be held in secret. Of particular concern is whether the imposition of the death penalty is being considered as an option and, if it is, whether its imposition can be delayed. I do not know Mr Begg Snr?s son, and I would not want to prejudge any allegations against him or to second guess what he was doing in Afghanistan. That is a matter for a court of law. But I am not prepared to accept the situation where a British citizen is going to be brought before a military tribunal and denied the rights that an American citizen, charged with the same offences is given. The war against international terrorism is never going to be black and white. It is going to be a dirty war. But we are fighting on behalf of civilised standards and on behalf of the rule of law. The Red Cross, Amnesty International and, indeed, the FCO have expressed concerns about the treatment of prisoners at Camp X-Ray. I share those concerns. But most of all I want these people brought before a court of law in order for them to answer the charges against them. Now, they are facing what could end up as a kangaroo court. I hope that early this week the issue will be raised in Parliament. I intend to raise it myself. But, even before I raise it, I hope the FCO and in particular the Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, will wish to make a statement to the House of Commons setting out the view of the British Government. I also hope they will tell the House what representations they intend to make to the Americans to ensure that a British citizen is tried in the same way as an American citizen. At the very least, I expect the British Government to insist that the charges against Moazzam Begg are heard in a proper court and that he is given every opportunity to defend himself in accordance with normal court procedure. Britain is the closest ally America has. We have fought shoulder-to-shoulder with them against international terrorism and in the attack on Iraq. Now we must demand the same rights for our citizens that they give to their own.