Britain’s Home Secretary blocks return of Guantanamo Bay detainees

[Kellanved]

LONDON - Britain’s Home Secretary David Blunkett is blocking moves to repatriate British detainees held by the United States in Guantanamo Bay, fearing he would have to release them soon after their arrival back home, a newspaper reported on Sunday.

The United States had offered to send at least some of the nine Britons held at the US military base in Cuba back to Britain for trial, but a decision on their future was being delayed because government ministers here were split over the proposal, The Sunday Times said.

The prospects of an early resolution had been clouded after Blunkett warned that any proceedings in British civilian courts would probably end with acquittals through lack of admissible evidence, the paper reported.

It added British intelligence chiefs were concerned that any agreement to return the men could result in potentially dangerous Al Qaeda supporters being allowed to go free at a time when the authorities are nervous amid fears of a terrorist attack in Britain.

...

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2003/December/theworld_December147.xml§ion=theworld

[MasonJar]

1. I guess the Brits in power no longer believe in

innocent until proven guilty either.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. That English Common Law stuff is so passe

Like the U.S. Constitution, it's of historical interest only.

[AndyTiedye]

3. More Pod People (Invasion of the Body-Snatchers Style)

Were Bush*'s people installing more pods in members of the British Government while they were here?

The real reason for the visit comes out.