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| William Hague's assertions that our security services at all times act within the law (Report, 22 June) are not credible. In 2004, my client, Sami al-Saadi, an exiled opponent of Libya's President Gaddafi, was handed to Libyan agents, with his family, by the Hong Kong authorities, at the request of MI6. The family arrived back in Libya on 28 March 2004, three days after Tony Blair arrived in Tripoli for his famous "rapprochement" meeting with Gaddafi. | William Hague's assertions that our security services at all times act within the law (Report, 22 June) are not credible. In 2004, my client, Sami al-Saadi, an exiled opponent of Libya's President Gaddafi, was handed to Libyan agents, with his family, by the Hong Kong authorities, at the request of MI6. The family arrived back in Libya on 28 March 2004, three days after Tony Blair arrived in Tripoli for his famous "rapprochement" meeting with Gaddafi. |
| Once in Libyan custody, Mr Saadi was imprisoned in appalling conditions for six years and repeatedly subjected to severe torture. He was given a show trial in 2009, condemned to death and finally released in 2010. Over the same time period that he was being tortured in Tripoli, he was visited and questioned by British intelligence personnel. Subjecting people to torture in Britain or overseas is illegal under British law. The British Government has paid the Saadi family £2.2m in settlement of a claim. This size of settlement could not have been authorised unless MI6's conduct in relation to the Saadis was illegal. It is too much of a coincidence that Saadi's forced return coincided with Tony Blair's visit to Tripoli. I call on Tony Blair to disclose all he knows about MI6 and British government action in relation to Sami al-Saadi. Paul Harris Founding chairman, Bar human rights committee Founding chairman, Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor | Once in Libyan custody, Mr Saadi was imprisoned in appalling conditions for six years and repeatedly subjected to severe torture. He was given a show trial in 2009, condemned to death and finally released in 2010. Over the same time period that he was being tortured in Tripoli, he was visited and questioned by British intelligence personnel. Subjecting people to torture in Britain or overseas is illegal under British law. The British Government has paid the Saadi family £2.2m in settlement of a claim. This size of settlement could not have been authorised unless MI6's conduct in relation to the Saadis was illegal. It is too much of a coincidence that Saadi's forced return coincided with Tony Blair's visit to Tripoli. I call on Tony Blair to disclose all he knows about MI6 and British government action in relation to Sami al-Saadi. Paul Harris Founding chairman, Bar human rights committee Founding chairman, Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor |
| • The annual independence from America demonstration at the gates of NSA Menwith Hill tomorrow could not have been better timed, as more and more documents released by the courageous Edward Snowden are revealed. Many of us have known for a long time that NSA Menwith Hill gathers intelligence and monitors individuals, groups, states and businesses. We have also known that the intelligence and security committee, which sounds reassuring, is not a credible watchdog (Editorial, 2 July). NSA Menwith Hill, although only given a cursory mention in the press, is run by the NSA. There is a contingent of GCHQ present and is the hub of the Echelon system. Christopher Gilmore the US Commander is in firm control and there is only one RAF liaison officer (a reservist), although the base is referred to as an RAF base. The base is a deceit and what goes on there is deceitful. We demand independence from America. Lindis Percy Co-ordinator, Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases | • The annual independence from America demonstration at the gates of NSA Menwith Hill tomorrow could not have been better timed, as more and more documents released by the courageous Edward Snowden are revealed. Many of us have known for a long time that NSA Menwith Hill gathers intelligence and monitors individuals, groups, states and businesses. We have also known that the intelligence and security committee, which sounds reassuring, is not a credible watchdog (Editorial, 2 July). NSA Menwith Hill, although only given a cursory mention in the press, is run by the NSA. There is a contingent of GCHQ present and is the hub of the Echelon system. Christopher Gilmore the US Commander is in firm control and there is only one RAF liaison officer (a reservist), although the base is referred to as an RAF base. The base is a deceit and what goes on there is deceitful. We demand independence from America. Lindis Percy Co-ordinator, Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases |
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