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.
This is great news. Is there any official confirmation anywhere? I have looked all over the BBC, google news, and the JCHR website, but there’s nothing I can find about it at all.
David. “Justice Secretary Jack Straw to be Accused on Torture in Parliamentary Inquiry” means Murray will accuse Straw when Murray gives evidence to the committee. Straw hasn’t been charged by any legal apparatus (yet)!
Well done, Craig, and well done all.
This is very good news – well done, Craig. I’m afraid my instincts say that an awful lot still has to happen before we can bury this foul government, but your work provides a little glint of hope.
Congratulations to you, Craig – and to all of us who care what kind of country we have become.
Take care, all the best and well done.
Woot!
Well done Mr Murray. I wish you all the very best.
Well done, Sir.
It’s been a long, hard road.
Give them hell.
Good man. Brave man, too. And +1 for showing your evidence to Private Eye – they’re pretty much the last bastion of serious journalism in this benighted island.
Well done, Craig.
@anticant – I emailed Private Eye to suggest they get involved supporting and publicising what Craig is doing. One of their journalists sent me a rather odd response about appearances in the Guardian and Independent diary columns… I emailed him back asking what the hell his point was. I also forwarded is to Craig for comment, but I’ve had nothing back either from Craig or the Eye.
I guess the Eye doesn’t want to help ad Craig doesn’t care either way – happy to be corrected.
I wish to attend this meeting – where will it be held? Also, it doesn’t seem to be on the committee’s website.
Go get em kid !
Craig
These sessions DO sometimes get “sold out”, as I can testify from experience. Much depends on which Committee Room they put you in – they vary considerably in capacity. Can you find out in advance which room it’ll be in and how many public seats there are, then post the answer here?
It’s a good job Craig is only going up against these vile but incompetent bastards, and not against Francis Urquhart, because you know what would happen to him then.
Really well done Craig.
Your bravery,stamina and principles are truly an inspiration.
Give these evil bastards what for.
What shocks me is that so many posters here believe that this lot of sinisters charlatans will stop at nothing to try gag you.This fact alone indicates how beyond the pale They truly are.
An evil dangerous bunch of bastards.
The very best of luck to you.
Craig
Have you seen this…
http://tinyurl.com/d3364t
Great news.
By coincidence ex-FO Carne Ross, critical of Iraq and Afghanistan policy, gave evidence to the Public Administration Committee yesterday. Did you know him Craig?
You can watch his evidence, and Katharine Gun, Dr Brian Jones and Derek Pasquill, at:
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/VideoPlayer.aspx?meetingId=3724
Paul Flynn (a good Labour MP) says of Carne Ross:
Today was an unforgettable gift of a day. I met four heroes. Three of them had sacrificed their careers for deeply held principles. … [Carne Ross] is a brilliant young man of high idealism. What a tragedy that there is no place for him in our Foreign Office.
He also had a period of depression when he resigned from the FO. More on Paul Flynn’s blog:
http://paulflynnmp.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/03/a-day-for-song.html
I hope your session gets the same treatment by MPs.
If you Google for “Rendition” [UK pages] you will find some useful links.
Slow down
Yes, a very satisfactory outcome. I’d caution that you go well armed and assume that no one is your friend – until otherwise proven. Certainly there may be a (standard Straw) diversionary move to try to get you to justify your own actions – rather than examining the actual evidence – so it may be important to ensure separation of those two aspects.
Lonely it is, but you’re certainly up to the difficult task. What is needed here is a lot of daylight. The presentation of your evidence to the Committee is a very decent start.
rwendland,
Carne, all too briefly, worked for me at the start of his carrer (well, he did the work and I took the credit). We have not been much in touch lately, but we get on well. He went through a very bad period on leaving the FCO, as I did, but he has had considerably more success than me in rebuildding his career. Independent Diplomat is a good concept and appears to be a success.
John D Monkey
As soon as I get any info I’ll let you know. It seems like quite a few journalists will be coming along.
Take care of yourself up to that appearance,
seriously. And no, this isn’t a threat.
Hats off Craig,
Echoing others here, there’s a lot to be said for staying in company and not wandering off on your own. I’m sure you can dig it.
Sideways to this – Why is it that whistleblowers and people with incriminating evidence always announce possession of the data, rather than just get on and post it? Honestly, what was Debra Jean Palfrey thinking? “Wow, I could get rich!”? Yeah, right. Get dead more like.
Whistleblowers! Get a clue! Don’t announce anything. Don’t hold out for some imagined pay-off. Don’t send it to the media. Don’t send it to the police.
Just go to blogger.com, make a blog and post it all there. It’s free and it’s easy. Nor should you put all your eggs in one basket. Google for other likely looking blogs and websites and email them the data as well.
All of this can be done at any internet cafe for a couple of bucks and ideally within an hour or so.
Simple simple stuff.
I think I am echoing most other posters here when I offer congratulations for your persistence – it seems to have paid off nicely. Well done, and best of luck! I will see if there is space on the day in the public gallery for me also.
Craig,
When I told you you are an inspiration I don’t think I fully understood what I was saying.
I was depressed by how these investigation cover up more than they reveal, and this one, to be honest, may yet do so.
But how hopeful we now feel seeing news like this. And it has come about through _your_ persistence and perseverance. That is what is inspiring.
There is a chance that these cracks in the armour, when sufficient in number, lead to the slow attrition which tears and weakens the fabric of their specious legitimacy.
This could be a real thorn in their side. This really could make a difference. I salute you, Sir, and your indefatigability, as Galloway said to Saddam.
Well done!
I will be there if I can. Don’t stop. Give them everything you’ve got. What have we come to, torturing without trial, those legally innocent?
Maybe it will help if you pretend you are not there, but instead imagine you are addressing all of humanity. This is your big chance. Go for it!
We are all with you.
Best Wishes,
Stephen
The select committee calendar http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/HOCselcomCal.pdf was updated yesterday 23 March, but still nothing about the JCHR on 28 April… anywhere, except on this blog. I’m concerned this may be some kind of an elaborate fob-off. Craig, have you thought of publishing the notifications you have received?
Stephen: “There is a chance that these cracks in the armour, when sufficient in number, lead to the slow attrition which tears and weakens the fabric of their specious legitimacy.”
E-X-A-C-T-L-Y
What you say, is what I feel.
All the comments about ‘this might not work’, and ‘there is this difficulty’, etc., don’t really help.
What helps is saying ‘I’m backing this all the way. We won’t let this go. I am doing this to help……’
If you can’t say those things or commit to following this all the way, say something short but good. And always keep praying and keep your eye on due process of law, and the truth. Keep your mind’s eye on it.
“There is a chance that these cracks in the armour…..”
We have all seen on film a few very small cracks in a reservoir precede a sudden and total collapse.
A system can flip, just like that.
I have looked at the two sessions linked from here: (i) torture, and (ii) whistleblowing.
Not for the fainthearted. Merciless grilling but the witnesses all stood up very well. They would nearly restore your faith in the human race.
May the force be with you.
great man MR Murray-I salute you- . not many in england are so brave as you are what with this having become a police state.
only be careful because the english govt is no stranger to a terrorist act agsint individuals who they donto like.
Wish you all the best in your hearings and thanks again fro figthing on behalf of huimanity.