Jail(ed) Britons reject Saudi '£1m hush money offer'...

[cantwealljustgetalong]

British prisoners who were repeatedly tortured in Saudi Arabia launched legal action last night against the Middle East kingdom, defying last-minute attempts to buy their silence.

Lawyers have been instructed to sue over claims of human rights abuses and false imprisonment from British men allegedly beaten into confessing involvement in bomb attacks.

The development came amid claims that the Saudi authorities have assembled a huge 'bribe' to silence the men and prevent a multi-million-pound lawsuit. Prominent Saudi dissidents said a package - possibly as much as £1m each - appears to have been put together to prevent the captives from suing or speaking publicly about their ordeal. But three of the men, who claim to have suffered months of beatings, have told Manchester-based solicitors Pannone & Partners to start pursuing compensation and justice in the court.

The threat of a lawsuit comes at a time of unprecedented tension between the West and the Arab world. Experts warn it heralds a serious straining of diplomatic relations between Britain and its chief ally in the region.

The men claim they were arrested and tortured until they confessed to carrying out a string of anti-Western terror attacks in the kingdom from November 2000. Some were held in solitary confinement for more than two years.

...

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1020300,00.html

[grytpype]

1. Hate the fuckin Sauds.

They're relics from the 18th century, they have no place in the modern world.

[Pert_UK]

3. Hmmm....you might need to rethink that statement....

I know what you're aiming at but I think that such a general statement comes across as being hugely racist, which I suspect may be unacceptable on here.

Of course, if you clarified that you meant the Saudi government and/or corrupt support for terrorism stemming from the regime, then I think a lot of people would be with you.

Peace.

P.

[NYC]

4. He said he hates the Sauds, not the Saudis.

I take that to mean the family.

[0rganism]

2. See what happens when you don't behead these guys?

Now they're gonna make a big stink, and you can't buy 'em off. Should have chopped their heads when you had a chance, Prince Faud.

Tsk tsk tsk.