Summary
Milton Keynes Stop the War group in co-operation with Stop Political Terror and CAMPACC are calling a demonstration outside Woodhill Prison Milton Keynes Tattenhoe Street, Sunday 28th November. To highlight the detention of detainees held under Anti-Terrorism laws and The Extradition Agreement 2003 with the US. We, in common with other organisations concerned with human rights and civil liberties, strongly object to the extradition of a British citizen to the USA where it is unlikely they will get a fair trial and where they may face inhuman and degrading treatment. Once in US custody Babar Ahmed may get no trial at all. Like the prisoners held in Guantanamo, Belmarsh, Woodhill, and other places around the world, Babar Ahmed could be detained indefinitely.


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DEMONSTRATE FOR JUSTICE!

Four foreign nationals and a British citizen are being detained in HMP Woodhill Prison, Tattenhoe Street, MK (The foreign nationals are being held under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. The British citizen is being held under The Extradition Act 2003 following an extradition request from the US.)

All are being denied the right to a fair trial!


DEMONSTRATE AT WOODHILL PRISON
Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes
SUNDAY 28 NOVEMBER – 12.30pm-2:00pm

Speakers to include:

Dr Adnan Siddiqui (Stop Political Terror)
Ashfaq Ahmed (Father of Babar Ahmed)
Saghir Hussein (Criminal law Solicitor)
Natalia Garcia (Solicitor to Woodhill & Belmarsh detainee's)
Doug Jewell (Campaign Co-Ordinator of Liberty)
Dr G Siddiqui (Leader of the Muslim Parliament)
Representative of CAMPACC; Representative of Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers
Alan Francis (Milton Keynes Green Party)
Sait Akgul (RESPECT)
Yvonne Ridley (Patron, Stop Political Terror)...and others.

END DETENTION WITHOUT CHARGE OR TRIAL!
DEMAND A FAIR TRIAL FOR ALL DETAINEES!
STOP EXTRADITION WITHOUT DUE PROCESS!

DENIED LEGAL RIGHTS! British Citizens

Does British law protect you?
If accused of committing a crime you must be allowed to defend yourself in a British court of law.

Not any more!
Not since your rights were signed away in a new extradition treaty with the US. Under the Extradition Agreement 2003, the US no longer need to produce evidence in court for you to answer, merely a statement of what you are accused of. So although you may appear in a British court to hear allegations you do not get to defend yourself in that court. Other members of the European community have refused to sign up to this agreement. Not surprising, since it amounts to legalised kidnapping!

As for US citizens, they are protected by their constitution so the new arrangement is not reciprocated by the US. If the UK want to extradite a US citizen we must continue to present a case for the extraditon in their courts.

This agreement is now in force and is being used to extradite a British citizen.

The US is not accountable to any international court and has in the past shown its total disregard for judgements from international tribunals such as the International court of Justice. It cannot be trusted to observe any international standards on human rights.

Babar Ahmed today – Who will it be tomorrow?

HELP STOP THIS INJUSTICE!

SCRAP THE EXTRADITION AGREEMENT WITH THE US!


DENIED LEGAL RIGHTS! Overseas nationals

WOODHILL AND BELMARSH — BRITAIN'S GUANTANAMO!
For three years Britain has held at least 9 foreign nationals who have never been charged, tried—or even questioned by police. The ‘evidence' against them remains secret.

These men are imprisoned under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, which allows the Home Secretary to detain indefinitely any foreign nationals if he has 'reasonable suspicion' that they have links with 'international terrorism'. To pass this the UK government needed a partial derogation from the European Convention on Human Rights. Their case is currently being challenged before the Law Lords.

The government acknowledged last year that some ‘evidence' could have been obtained by torturing detainees elsewhere, e.g. in Guantanamo, Abu Graib or other US-friendly regimes like Uzbekhistan. In August the High Court ruled that evidence from torture could be admissible, even if UK agents were present, provided that they did not carry it out. This licenses torture around the world.

The prisoners are held in high security at HMPs Woodhill (Milton Keynes) and Belmarsh (London). As ‘Category A' prisoners, they are in cells for 20-24 hours a day—the Belmarsh cells are described as ‘concrete coffins'. These conditions—and sheer hopelessness--have driven some into mental illness (The INDEPENDENT, 14/10/04). Some are also in poor physical health. One of the detainees here in Woodhill is so depressed he cannot walk or stand. He is reportedly denied a wheelchair, and other prisoners are forbidden to carry him. Their families are also suffering.


EITHER CHARGE THEM AND TRY THEM –
OR RELEASE THEM NOW!


JUSTICE FOR BABAR AHMED!
Babar Ahmed is a 30 year old IT Engineer whose father immigrated to Britain from Pakistan 40 years ago. He was born and brought up in the UK. He is a British citizen.

He was arrested last December and held for six days before being released without charge.

While in custody, he sustained 50 injuries, two of them life-threatening.

He was re-arrested in August and held under an extradition warrant from the US who allege that he used the Internet to raise funds for terrorist activities. Under a new extradition agreement the US do not have to produce any evidence in court to substantiate this allegation.

We, in common with other organisations concerned with human rights and civil liberties, strongly object to the extradition of a British citizen to the USA where it is unlikely they will get a fair trial and where they may face inhuman and degrading treatment. Once in US custody he may get no trial at all. Like the prisoners held in Guantanamo, Belmarsh, Woodhill, and other places around the world, he could be detained indefinitely.

If there is evidence of a crime why is he not being charged and tried here?
How can a British citizen be denied the right to defend themselves in a British court?


Organised by:
MILTON KEYNES STOP THE WAR GROUP www.MKStopWar.org.uk

In co-operation with-
Stop Political Terror -- www.stoppoliticalterror.com
and
CAMPACC -- www.cacc.org.uk

There will be a mini-bus to transport people to and from Milton Keynes Central rail station organised by Milton Keynes Stop the War. There are also coaches being organised by Stop Political Terror leaving from London (see their website for details).