The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights has agreed to hear my evidence on torture on Tuesday 28 April at 1.45pm. Many thanks to everyone who helped lobby for this.
I am delighted, as I have been trying for over four years to lay the truth about British torture policy before Parliament. I will testify that as British Ambassador I was told there is a very definite policy to accept intelligence from torture abroad, and that the policy was instituted and approved by Jack Straw when Foreign Secretary. I will tell them that as Ambassador I protested formally three times in writing to Jack Straw, and that the Foreign Office told me in reply to my protests that this was perfectly legal.
I will prove my evidence with documentation.
Here is the written evidence I will speak to
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2009/03/trying_again_my.html
There is now a wealth of evidence from individual cases to support my testimony that such an underlying secret policy exists.
It is likely that I will face hostile questioning from government supporters and from “War on Terror” hawks. In the past the government has accused me of corruption, sexual blackmail, and alcoholism (all completely untrue) and hinted that I am insane, in an effort to deflect attention from the cold facts of my testimony. The hearing will be open to the public, so if anyone can make it along, some friendly faces in the gallery would be extremely welcome.
I will also see if I can discover if anything usefully can be done by way of lobbying to ensure that the Parliament channel films it for broadcast.
Most excellent news.
“Justice Secretary Jack Straw to be Accused on Torture in Parliamentary Inquiry”
Now that’s a headline I’d like to see more of! 😉
We are with you in this.
You should apply for immediate 24/7 police protection.
This is no joke.
You are a state witness in one of the biggest racketeering cases of our time.
In the eye of a manufactured but deadly “War on Terror”.
May your efforts lead to a speedy end of torture by our state agencies.
Awesome news. How can we ensure the proceeding is videotaped so everybody can see you?
Well done Craig.
Three cheers for your courage mon brave.
The Briton recently mentioned by the Guardian as being subjected to torture (in Egypt) is Azhar Khan, a 26-year-old whose brother-in-law (Omar Khyam/Ausman) and a number of his friends have been jailed for terrorist offences.
The UK security services allegedly fed questions to the Egyptian intelligence officers who detained Azhar Kahn when he flew into Egypt in July 2008.
Azhar Khan was arrested 4 years earlier in March 2004, under Operation Crevice, however he was then released. The Operation Crevice (fertiliser plot) trial concluded in April 2007. Shouldn’t the questions posed by the security services have been asked during that long trial?
Further info here:
http://tinyurl.com/cnxhdp
Torture also featured in another suspect involved under Operation Crevice: Salahuddin Amin – the Crevice case hinged on the confessions extracted from Amin by the Pakistan ISI (under knowledge of the UK authorities), and on the testimony of overworked Al Queda supergrass Mohammed Jaunid Babar – see details here:
http://tinyurl.com/2yuwht
I look forward to your welcome contribution to the JCHR proceedings, Craig.
I’ll be there. If at any time you find out, perhaps you could post the answer to this: Will it be sufficient just to queue early enough at the Visitors’ Entrance to the Houses of Parliament, or will some prior arrangement need to be made, to ensure access to the hearing? Thanks
Excellent news Craig. Superb persistence and a standing ovation (albeit such things have been cheapened to those dreadful party conferences etc) to all who helped this come about by writing to your JCHR, MP’s etc..
But my gut says it will not come to anything. The system is NOT going to let itself be undone by this – there are tens of things that will be done to stop any punitive results or meaningful chance come from this.
Protection 24/7 is actually very necessary Craig! Not so sure the police are the best to supply it. Antiestablishmentarians do get killed, some overtly so! As you have said you very nearly experienced that before! The icing on the cake is that such murderous events are done in ways which point at the wrong group of people!!!
Others have their lives ruined by less morbid ways.
Congratulations Craig. Have you thought of showing your dossier to ‘Private Eye’?
Take good care of yourself.
Dear Craig,
Congratulations and good luck, I fear you are going to need it! Still, I suppose this is your day it court, and I hope it’ll live up to your expectations. It would be nice to think that the truth and honesty, still counted for something.
Many congratulations!! Well done Craig. And look after yourself WELL in the meantime.
Delighted
Well done Craig,
Keep up the good fight!
It is essential for those who control the government to maintain the veneer of democracy. If Craig had been excluded from giving evidence it would have shown the reality. I would think it very, very unlikely that they would harm Craig in any way; it would just be too obvious.
But I have no doubt that their questions will be exceedingly well rehearsed with intelligence service input. It’s here that Craig will have to use all his wits and let them make fools of themselves rather than they of him. Stay cool. Don’t let them provoke you.
Splendid news.
I gather that the more the public are aware of the situation then the safer should be the witnesses.
Way to go Craig!
I can’t be there myself (at the other end of the country) but my spirit will be hovering on you shoulder saying “give ’em hell, boy!”
r Thos who do want to go should make sure they get there early. If your MP is friendly, see if s/he can get you in.
If there is another session starting a bit earlier you could always turn up and say you want to go to that one…
Worth it just to put one on Straw, possibly the most unpleasant MP I’ve ever met…
I don’t think committee sessions often get too full. I wouldn’t anticipate problems getting in. You shouldn’t have to join the main queue, which is for the Commons gallery.
Bon courage mon vieux, and don’t walk under any ladders !
You are an inspiration, a reminder that there are more honest people than dishonest ones .
Much love
frog2
“I will prove my evidence with documentation.”
Craig
I hope and prey you don’t get a burglar? or fall under a bendy bus before/after 28 April?.I would put NOTHING past this lot.
Well done Craig and I wish you luck.
Any chance of a speaking tour?
So proud of you Craig.
Well done: I am glad they saw sense.
Please be as measured, calm and forthright as you can be – it’ll be a lot easier to dismiss what you say if it were to happen (hypothetically of course) that you are baited and taunted during the session.
Excellent news, Craig.
I will try to be there.
Excellent result Craig.
Looking good, so far, Mr Murray.
Here’s hoping it can be seen on TV at some point.
Unfortunately, I can’t be there but you take my best wishes with you.
Congratulations, Craig.
Obama has already repudiated the US’s previous policy on extraordinary rendition & torture. So the JCHR can with comfort consider this matter as a problem of the past, and lay the blame fairly & squarely where it belongs – on Jack Straw – safe in the knowledge that they are not taking any chances with the ongoing special relationship on intelligence sharing with the CIA and so on.
A JCHR report saying that Jack Straw did what he thought he had to do to protect the special relationship, but that what he did was wrong. That is all we ask.
Ssalutary comment from Ruth at 7:58 PM – don’t let ’em provoke you (the questioned will be shurely be sanitised, but with that pre-arranged jilt to get you off-guard), but you should respond calmly with something that provokes them…like the use of evidence gained from torture (albeit not on our soil, but with the contemporaneous knowledge of the uk spooks) used in UK trials ( Salahuddin Amin, Rangzieb Ahmed to name 2)…
Don’t be phased by any threats (including comments on here) & use your wits & yer noddle…
Allahu Akbar! Well done and well fought. Congratulations to you , Craig.
Nasty New Labour will be able to bury plenty of bad news on the day this s**t hits the fan.
Meanwhile have you any thoughts why nothing is happening in Gaza? it looks like the real Mr Nasty is holding out for total submission and the destruction of Hamas before paying out 1p.
He is ultimately to blame for the U.K.’s involvement with torture which you will now be able to describe, thank God, not Jack Straw, who might have to retire quietly to the House of Lords.
If Blair gets his way Israel will launch another offensive to completely destroy Hamas and then we can have a nice summer of discontent out of which Mr Brown can emerge purified, gleaming and sweet, ready for next year’s election.
@ Pistorius.
If you say my words to Craig regarding “caution for the purposes of self-preservation” are a threat then I strongly object!
I see no threats on this post, just concern by a number of commentators for a fellow we have come love as a decent human being.
Why not turn your own pseudo-conspiracy back on yourself and tell Craig not to pay any attention to he who would like Craig to ignore good and cautionary advice.