On Nov. 1, 2002, Bisher Al-Rawi, a citizen of Iraq, was preparing to board a plane at Gatwick Airport in London, en route to Gambia, when screeners found something suspicious in his luggage. Al-Rawi—a permanent resident of the United Kingdom who worked sporadically as an interpreter for MI5, the U.K. counterintelligence agency—was traveling to Africa to set up a nut-oil… return to article
-
subscribe to print magazine
-
email this article to a friend
-
Reader Comments (5)Page 1 of 1 pagesAs always, ITT publishes stuff and leaves out the most interesting parts.
Al-Rawi has been accused of association with al-Qa’eda, aiding terrorists in moving between Britain and Pakistan, concealing terrorists in Britain, and moving funds in support of al-Qa’eda operations. Al-Rawi’s return to Britain followed an extradition request by Britain, where he was wanted on terrorist charges, and which followed negotiations between Britain and the USA to assure that adequate security safeguards were in place for al-Rawi in Britain.
These charges against al-Rawi are somewhat more serious than having a “suspicious” “common store-bought battery charger” in his luggage. My horseback estimate is that the charger was a pretense to hold al-Rawi for a few days to verify information or prepare to track him further.
ITT seems always to support the people who want to kill us. In that effort, ITT is in bad company: ACLU, MoveOn , NYT, Reid, Pelosi, and the HillBillys, to name a few.
Well, so what? Does anyone besides the Sinisteres care if a terrorist undergoes rendition, waterboarding, confinement, intensive questioning? Not me. I expect my government to protect me from people who want to kill me (terrorists) or enslave me (Sinisteres). As regarding the domestic Sinisteres, we have the right and ability to defend ourselves, and we will do so as necessary.
Posted by scorp on Feb 4, 2008 at 3:31 PM scorp mouths the lies that the tyrants create to control. That is the reason for the lies, to give the mealy something to chew on, to give the sheep something to browse. What kind of coward sells out anyone and, seemingly, would sell out everyone just because he is yellowed by the fearing lies of those who only seek to control him?
Considering scorp’s rote comments the back of a horse is an apt description.
Posted by braamer on Feb 4, 2008 at 8:12 PM What is the really frightening aspect of the whole matter is that the government can literally get away with murder and torture simply by claiming that any action brought in court against it by the victim would “present a grave risk of injury to national security”.
So if you are the unfortunate innocent victim, what is your recourse against the perpetrators?
Join Al’Quaeda? (for government hacks: this is meant ironically)
The arrogance and stupidity of our executive is mindboggling. They are supposed to be our servants and Amrica is supposed to be a nation of laws, not of men. We better get back to that attitude in a hurry, before we p..s off the rest of the world.
Posted by dlibori on Feb 5, 2008 at 3:44 PM Hats off to Sean Belcher, the tech writer who walked away from his job with the aforementioned Boeing subsidiary rather involve himself in what he perceived to be nefarious undertakings at variance with our nation’s precepts of accountability under the law. As ACLU agents lilke Ben Wizner and those of us who depend on the ACLU to reveal our government’s egregious excesses and insufferable license have come to know since the Church Committee hearings three decades ago, black-box clandestine operations are sometimes revolting. So deep is the depth of CIA insertion into our nation’s commercial life, that it is not a stretch to wonder whether recipients of such funding delude themselves into thinking that they rake it in as a matter of “patriotism.” The company spokesperson, Mike Pound, seems the straight man for this dark comedy.
Posted by Bud Wizer on Feb 6, 2008 at 5:12 PM “the victim would “present a grave risk of injury to national security”.
One wonders what should happen if the “victim” does present a grave risk to national security (e.g., the waterboarding “victims’).
“So if you are the unfortunate innocent victim, what is your recourse against the perpetrators?”
One might wonder if there are any “innocent victims”. I somehow feel little empathy for September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or senior al Qaeda leaders Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. They got less than they deserve and are lucky we are NOT like them!
Posted by wolf on Feb 8, 2008 at 2:57 PM Page 1 of 1 pages -
register a new account »Posting Security
Also by Christopher Moraff
- Feeding the Beast
In order to weaken federal agencies, the Bush administration has expanded them to the point of collapse - The Rat Trap
Death row exonerations expose failings of the 'snitch system' - Extraordinary Rendition on Trial
ACLU tries to ground the Boeing subsidiary that trafficked in torture - AFRICOM: Round One in a New Cold War?
Two dozen military bases in Africa will help the United States compete for influence with China in the otherwise forgotten continent - Why are EPA Libraries Closing?
- Americas Slave Labor
Inmates are being forced to work in toxic 'e-waste' sweatshops
Popular Discussions
- The 9/11 Faith Movement
Many Americans believe 9/11 was a conspiracy by the U.S. government
1972 posts since Jul 11 06 - What’s the 411 on 9/11?
891 posts since Dec 21 05 - Democrats: It’s the War
659 posts since Nov 1 05 - Was the Presidential Election Stolen?
462 posts since Jun 19 06 - A Fundamental History Lesson
The rise of National Socialism proved politics and religion don't mix
426 posts since Oct 10 05
© 2008 In These Times | Reprint Policy | Privacy Policy | Powered by Expression Engine | RSS Feeds
