Straw to demand release of 'MI5 man' in Guantanamo after U-turn

[cal04]

In a foreign policy U-turn, Jack Straw has agreed to intervene in the case of a British resident who has been held in Guantanamo Bay for the past three years. The concession emerged during a court hearing yesterday after lawyers had alleged that the Iraqi-born businessman, who has lived in Britain since 1985, was an MI5 informer. Until yesterday Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, had said that the British government would not make any representations on behalf of American prisoners who were not British citizens.

The Government maintains that - as foreign nationals - Bisher al-Rawi, Jamil el-Banna and Omar Deghayes have no legal right to the assistance they seek. But the judges heard yesterday that the Foreign Office had conceded that representations would be made to the US authorities for the release of Mr al-Rawi because of the particular circumstances of his case. His lawyers said afterwards that the decision to intervene was only an expedient way of avoiding the publication of sensitive information about MI5's relationship with Mr al-Rawi.

Bisher al-Rawi, 37, and his Jordanian business partner Mr el-Banna, who was granted refugee status in 2000, were detained three years ago in Gambia. According to statements before the court, they were alleged to have been associated with al-Qa'ida through a connection with the radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada. Mr al-Rawi, who has a wife and five children living in the UK, has always maintained he had contact with Abu Qatada that was "expressly approved and encouraged by British intelligence", to whom he supplied information about the cleric.

He said representatives of security services had assured him that, should he run into trouble, they would intervene and assist him. Yesterday, Timothy Otty, appearing for the detainees, told the High Court he would not be alleging that the British Government was "knowingly complicit" in the arrest and the detention of the two men. But, he said, documents attached to a statement made by a security service official, referred to as "witness A", established there had been "communications" between the British and US security services, relating to the two men prior to their arrest .

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/article353012.ece

[Greeby]

1. Jack suddenly growing a conscience?

Nah, couldn't be

[Rex]

2. So the MI5 guy has some useful information? After 3 years?

Something smells.

[Trevelyan]

3. Straw has been pushed on several humanitarian issues and refused.

Empire Burlesque and Craig Murry have mentioned it on their sites.

I think Jack Straw is also a person of importance in the European Union and he has been pressured to do something about the torture and the illegal Iraqi war. With the PTB turning on Bush/Blair and allowing some of the truth to be printed in the MSM -- it looks like they may slow down for a while on their PNAC/Carlyle World Dominion plans. Be cautious of whoever the promoted to take their places.