This email from JoAnn Dolan forwardeding a transcript of UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's statements regarding UK citizens detained at Guantanamo.
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FW: Foreign Sec Doorstep on British Detainees UNCLASSIFIED Page 1 of 4
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Subject: FW: Foreign Sec Doorstep on British Detainees
FYI from FCO via Embassy London
FROM EILEEN FOX FOR RADIO TECHNICAL SERVICES
TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE
GIVEN BY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR JACK STRAW,
IN LONDON
ON THURSDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2004
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
Good Afternoon. I am going to make a statement concerning the 9 British
citizens detained at Guantanamo Bay. The al Queda terrorist attacks on
11 September 2001 killed more than 3,000 people from more than 90
countries, and that included 67 British citizens. This was the most
appalling terrorist atrocity which the world has ever seen. In response
to those attacks, a coalition of countries came together to launch a -
military campaign against al Queda and its Taliban supporters to remove
them from their strongholds in Afghanistan. As a result, individuals
believed to be al Queda or Taliban fighters, or their supporters, were
detained by the coalition forces. The vast majority of these
individuals were released, but a number who were deemed to pose a
substantial risk of returning to the conflict, were sent by the United
States to its detention centre in Guantanamo Bay to be detained and to
be questioned about their knowledge of al Queda activities. As a •
result, valuable information has been gained which has helped to protect
the international community from further al Queda and related terrorist
attacks.
The United Kingdom government has been in frequent and regular contact
with the United States authorities concerning the 9 British detainees.
British officials have visited Guantanamo Bay 6 times to check on the
detainees' welfare. We have kept their families and parliament
informed. In July 200:3, two of the British detainees were designated by
the United States authorities as eligible to stand trial by United
States Military Commissions being established to deal with the
detainees.
The British government has made it clear that it had some concerns about
the Military Commission process. Consequently the Prime Minister asked
the British Attorney General to discuss with the United States
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY: FRANK E SCHMELZER
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authorities how the detainees, if prosecuted, could be assured of fair
trials which met international standards. The Attorney General has held
a number of discussions with the United States authorities about the
future of the detainees. These have been paralleled by discussions with
myself and United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, and between
British and United States officials. There have been many complex issues
of law and security which both governments have had to consider.
Although significant progress has been made, in the Attorney General's
view the Military Commissions as presently constituted would not
provide the process which we would afford British nationals. Our
discussions are continuing.
In the meantime we have agreed with the United States authorities that
five of the British detainees will return to the United Kingdom. They
are: Ruhal Ahmed, Tareq Dergoul, Jamal al-Harees, Asif Iqbal and Shafiq
Rasul. These men will be flown home to the United Kingdom in the next
few weeks. Once the detainees are back in the United Kingdom, I
understand that the police will consider whether to arrest them under
the Terrorism Act 2000 for questioning in connection with possible
terrorist activity. Any subsequent action will be a matter for the
police and the Crown Prosecution Service, so it would not be right for
me to comment any further on this aspect.
We are still discussing with the United States authorities the situation
of the other four British detainees. They are: Feroz Abbasi, Moazzam
Begg, Richard Belmar and Martin Mubanga. There are a range of security
and other issues for which we and the Americans need to consider in
respect of these four men. But our position remains that the detainees
should either be tried in accordance with international standards, or
they should be returned to the United Kingdom.
QUESTION:
Of the British, you said that valuable information was derived from some
of the detainees. Was valuable information derived from any of the
British detainees and especially the five who are being released?
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
I am afraid i cannot comment on that. As you know, we do not disclose
intelligence routinely. But what I can tell you is that overall valuable
intelligence has indeed been obtained and this has helped to make the
world a safer place in what is a dangerous environment.
QUESTION:
Are these five a danger to Britain?
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
I have just explained that these five are to be returned to the United --
Kingdom. Whether or not there is any further process is not a matter for
me, but a matter for the police initially acting under their powers
under the Terrorism Act 2000 as amended, and by the Crown Prosecution
Service.
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QUESTION:
So were they held improperly in the first place?
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
We fully respect the position of the United States, we fully understand
the situation in which not just they, but the whole of the world found
itself after 11 September 2001. However, we have had to balance that
with our concerns about the process of the Military Commission, and as I
have explained, five are now being returned and discussions in respect
of the other four continue.
QUESTION:
Why those five in particular and not the other four?
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
Well each situation and each detainee is different, and so we have been
able to agree the return in respect of five. Discussions in respect of
the other four continue.
QUESTION:
So have the police and the Crown Prosecution Service been given the
files and the information that they need to make the judgment on whether
or not to arrest or detain those five Britons on their arrival in this
country?
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
As you understand John, I am not the Home Secretary, but the police and
the Prosecution Service, initially the police, will ensure of course
that they are fully informed in advance of the arrival of any of these
former detainees.
QUESTION (Guito Harri)
Why did this take so long, when you have ended up with a situation where
there is clearly no reason why they can't come back, why did it take s_ o
long to establish that?
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
This is a very difficult situation. It is fair to say that it is an
entirely unique situation. There had never before been an occasion where
a terrorist network was able to develop an attack of the ruthless nature
of that which took place on 11 September 2001, and this was not just an
attack on the United States, it was an attack on the whole of the
civilised world. Sixty-seven British citizens lost their lives on 11
September, and others have lost their lives both before and since 11
September as a result of at Queda and related terrorist activity. So a
unique and new situation was bound to pose unique challenges to the
international community. We respect the position of the United States,
we have been involved in lengthy discussions with them. As I said, five
detainees have now, we have agreed are going to be returned, and four
remain.
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(END OF TRANSCRIPT)
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