Having through military force assisted in the overthrow of Colonel Gadaffi, the British government cannot absolve itself of responsibility for the fate of Seif al-Islam, and for ensuring that he is neither tortured nor killed. The government of Libya is legally within its rights in trying him in Libya rather than at ICC, provided the trial covers the charges before the ICC. The evidence of Seif al-Islam’s guilt of war crimes is not immediately apparent. Certainly the charge of hiring mercenaries on one side of the civil war rather pales in comparison to the devastation wreaked by NATO in bombing cities on the other.
But Gadaffi’s son is just one man. There are many who must be held accountable for torture, rape and murder, and at the moment there is no compelling evidence that these crimes were more prevalent from one faction in the civil war than another. You will not ehar that from a British government spokesman. Their view of responsibility for what happens next in Libya focuses on ensuring that the owners of British corporations and banks benefit.
Which brings me back to the question of the Malyshevs, deported by the British government as failed asylum seekers back to the hideous regime in Tashkent.
Six weeks later, the British government has still not given any substantive response to the public and MPs who wrote to them expressing concern at their disappearance. The last news that we had was that Nina’s daughter Helena, who remains legally in the UK, contacted her local MP in great distress asking that all campaigning stop and no more questions be asked. I am afraid that is almost certainly a sign that Nina and Mikel – who nobody has yet sighted – are still under great threat from the Uzbek authorities and the usual means of pressure are being applied.
I am told that three more deportations to Uzbekistan are in the pipeline. The British government cannot demonstrate that deportees will be safe – because they will not be. It is completely irresponsible, indeed deeply shameful, to deport people back to Karimov in these circumstances.
the British government cannot absolve itself of responsibility for the fate of Seif al-Islam, and for ensuring that he is neither tortured nor killed.
Sure they can! Just watch.
“The last news that we had was that Nina’s daughter Helena, who remains legally in the UK, contacted her local MP in great distress asking that all campaigning stop and no more questions be asked.”
Advice on how to respond to this request would be welcomed, since the options are, as far as I can see, either to bend to Karimov’s pressure, or endanger the deportees’ lives even further.
I seem to remember hearing something about the ICC investigating western war crimes in Libya. This is a welcome bit of news to lighten your bleak post.
I wonder how people manage to sleep when deporting people to be tortured.
Komodo
You have to respect the views of the relatives who as well as having a greater interest than anyone else probably have more information. That doesn’t mean that anyone should stop campaigning against many of the other injustices of the Uzbek regime which are legion – the Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch websites and good starting points if you want to campaign against abuses of human rights.
Looks sound to me, Stephen, thanks. Any other thoughts?
Hague is making a statement now at the Foreign Office saying that he has met with the Syrian ‘rebels’ although he does not call them that of course. Very disturbed at the increasing violence. Sanctions will be stepped up. Working in conjunction with the Arab League. Same old same old. For Syria read Libya.
Live on BBC News.
Aangirfan again. He/she seems to doubt that the man in custody is Saif and lists all the previous stories we have had about him plus photos.
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http://aangirfan.blogspot.com/2011/11/spooky-saif-gaddafi.html
I would say that the ‘overthrow’ of Col Gaddafi was a lynching and execution assisted by UK special forces if the reports are true.
Meanwhile, uzbek regime has been extremely using former prisoners to kill those who are accused in religious extremism. Yesterday, the wife, her child and 8 year old cousin of a man who was accused and imprisoned with religious extremism charges were knifed to death in their flat in Tashkent. (uznews.net, ferghana.ru)
The similar incidents happened last year. Usually, family members of those charged become victims of the regime, if they did not beg the president for pardon and did not bow their heads to him publicly.
No people – No problem, is becoming an extremely and widely used motto of the stalinist regime of Mr Karimov, who is apparently a friend of America.
Aangirfan again. He/she seems to doubt that the man in custody is Saif and lists all the previous stories we have had about him plus photos.
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Yawn!
Craig, do you have any details of those facing future deportation to Uzbekistan?
I will write to my MP demanding that all future deportations to Uzbekistan be stopped, but it would probably help of there were examples that are both imminent *and* specific.
Did any mainstream news anywhere cover the Malyshev’s case? I can’t find anything on the web at all except this blog and references to it. There is no mention on AI UK either.
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Does anyone have any links to any reports on this case?
Paul, a South Wales newspaper published an article about them but I don’t want to re-post it because of the request of Nina’s daughter not to give it any publicity. It’s a difficult one really. You think you’re doing the right thing in campaigning, but it is not necessarily so. That poor young woman must be beside herself with fear for her mother and Nicu.
‘Their view of responsibility for what happens next in Libya focuses on ensuring that the owners of British corporations and banks benefit.’
The owners of British corporations were well installed in Libya under Gaddafi.
Of course Dr Saif al-Islam al-Gadaffi didn’t do anything even to be arrested for, but there’s no way either a NATO-puppet-Libyan court or the International Kangaroo Court in the Hague would ever acquit him – think al-Megrahi, who was convicted although no case was made; think Milosevic whose death was engineered because the case against him was so flimsy. Think of Dr al-Gadaffi’s father who was murdered because it was convenient for NATO, and most likely done with their connivance. It would be too embarrassing for those murdering scumbags Obama, Cameron, Sarkozy et al if one of their demons were shown to be innocent.
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Normally if someone cannot receive a fair trial they’re not tried. Unfortunately the law is less important than Obama’s ego.
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I suspect the NATO animals would prefer Dr al-Gadaffi to be ‘tried’ in Libya, because they won’t have to make such a show of occasionally allowing him to speak as they would in the Hague. Their Libyan puppets can torture him and do whatever it takes to keep him quiet, and if by chance his judge has some professional pride they can do what the Iraqis did in Saddam’s ‘trial’ and sack him midway.
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Meanwhile, back in the UK, some rare common sense:
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8903177/Judge-its-no-crime-to-swear-at-police-they-are-used-to-it.html
The owners of British corporations were well installed in Libya under Gaddafi.
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Not well enough. There were 30,000 Chinese in the country, remember. And the old Colonel still muttered about nationalisation from time to time.
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And of course there’s a LOT more construction work to be done now. NATO are like the boys who walk around around town breaking windows…followed twenty minutes later by the glazier! What a coincidence! just the man I wanted to see!
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That is, NATO are like a cross between a glazier’s boy and Hannibal Lecter. Times ten. With a swastika flag.
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http://dalje.com/en-croatia/nato-logo-became-swastika-at-the-conference/278521
http://thebiggestsecretpict.online.fr/nwo/nato_swastika.gif
Thank-you Mary for reminding me of Mr Hague’s mission.
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Representatives of the Syrian National Council and the National Co-ordination Committee for Democratic Change are meeting with Hague after months of secret talks with British intelligence according to my source.
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The point of Mr Hague’s public meeting is to lay the ground for formal recognition of a united ‘Syrian Rebel Group’ (SNC) and describe the now public aim of providing one voice, that of Burhan Ghalioun, Chairman of the SNC and evolving the secret push for media frenzy regarding the current regime in Syria, which is accused of killing more than 3,500 of its own people since uprisings began in March.
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The Foreign Office has appointed Frances Guy, former ambassador to Beirut, as a full-time envoy to lead work with exiled Syrian leaders. Guy will be talking with France and Turkey, the Arab Leaguue and the EU to push for a no fly zone culminating in an increase in the number of British security personnel working with the CIA to recruit the necessary number of rebels and foreign fighters in Syria to cause further unrest leading to protracted violence and new killing that can be useful in attempts to move from sanctions to intervention.
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Iran has it’s own ‘monitoring’ forces in Syria and we can expect this to increase before end 2011. Eventually or ultimately Iran will be drawn into the maelstrom, the chasm of illegal foreign interference which is in my view the precursor for attacking Iran.
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Interestingly last year Colonel Richard Kemp, a former adviser on terrorism to Tony Blair, blasted Miss Guy, saying her position as ambassador was untenable after praising the Hezbollah cleric Ayatollah Fadlallah in her blog by saying this:
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“One of the privileges of being a diplomat is the people you meet; great and small, passionate and furious. People in Lebanon like to ask me which politician I admire most. It is an unfair question, obviously, and many are seeking to make a political response of their own. I usually avoid answering by referring to those I enjoy meeting the most and those that impress me the most. Until yesterday my preferred answer was to refer to Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, head of the Shia clergy in Lebanon and much admired leader of many Shia muslims throughout the world. When you visited him you could be sure of a real debate, a respectful argument and you knew you would leave his presence feeling a better person. That for me is the real effect of a true man of religion; leaving an impact on everyone he meets, no matter what their faith. Sheikh Fadlallah passed away yesterday. Lebanon is a lesser place the day after but his absence will be felt well beyond Lebanon’s shores. I remember well when I was nominated ambassador to Beirut, a muslim acquaintance sought me out to tell me how lucky I was because I would get a chance to meet Sheikh Fadlallah. Truly he was right. If I was sad to hear the news I know other peoples’ lives will be truly blighted. The world needs more men like him willing to reach out across faiths, acknowledging the reality of the modern world and daring to confront old constraints. May he rest in peace.”
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I am therefore somewhat surprised at her appointment and a little suspicious. Can you dig into this Mary? while I try to wring out further information from my source.
Yes very strange Mark. She was hauled over the coals for what she said on her blog about the deceased Sayyed Mohamad Hussein Fadlullah. That was last year. Why has she been seemingly rehabilitated? She has been around a long time. British Council in ++Damascus++ and FCO Bangkok, Yemen and the Lebanon amongst other places. I will look around and ask one or two others about her.
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The British ambassador to Lebanon, Frances Guy, also wrote: “I remember well, when I was nominated ambassador to Beirut, a Muslim acquaintance sought me out to tell me how lucky I was because I would get a chance to meet Sayyed Mohamad Hussein Fadlullah. Truly he was right…I usually avoid answering by referring to those I enjoy meeting the most and those that impress me the most. Until yesterday my preferred answer was to refer to Sayyed Mohamad Hussein Fadlullah. When you visited him you could be sure of a real debate, a respectful argument and you knew you would leave his presence feeling a better person. That for me is the real effect of a true man of religion; leaving an impact on everyone he meets, no matter what their faith…Lebanon is a lesser place the day after but his absence will be felt well beyond Lebanon’s shores. If I was sad to hear the news I know other peoples’ lives will be truly blighted. The world needs more men like him willing to reach out across faiths, acknowledging the reality of the modern world and daring to confront old constraints.”[74] The UK foreign office said it had taken down the message after “mature consideration.”[43] They also added that “the ambassador expressed a personal view on Shiekh Sayyid Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah describing the man as she knew him. We welcomed his progressive views on women’s rights and interfaith dialogue but there were also areas where we had profound disagreements, especially over his statements advocating attacks on Israel.”[87] Wikipedia. Fadlallah
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Frances Guy
Full Name: Frances Mary Guy
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Date of Birth: 1 Feb 1959
Married to: G. Hugo Raybaudo
Frances Guy is the current Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic and is the former Head of Engaging with the Islamic World
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2006-2008 Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic
2004-2006 Engaging with the Islamic World
2001-2004 Sana’a: Ambassador
1997-2001 Addis Ababa: Deputy Head of Mission
1995-1996 Bangkok: First Secretary
1993-1995 FCO: Middle East Department
1991-1993 FCO: Finance Department
1988-1991 Khartoum: Second Secretary
1986-1988 FCO: Middle East Department
1985-1985 European Parliament: Researcher
1984-1985 British Council in Damascus
Source[1]
http://powerbase.info/index.php/Frances_Guy
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Launching Chevening Scholarships in the Lebanon with her husband. There are no captions so do not know who she is with here. No date either.
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http://starscene.dailystar.com.lb/wp-content/gallery/chevening-reception/chevening-reception-24.jpg
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From a slideshow on {http://starscene.dailystar.com.lb/social-scene/2009/11/british-ambassador-raybaudo-introduce-chevening-scholarships/?show=gallery}
@John Goss,
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I agree in relation to the Malyshev case. If they wish for no further publicity or campaigning I don’t think anyone should be second guessing their wishes.
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I was really enquiring re Craig’s statement “I am told that three more deportations to Uzbekistan are in the pipeline”. He didn’t provide any details and therefore it will be difficult to contact MPs, etc, re these cases.
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Some MPs might be moved to act if presented with a synopsis of Uzbekistan’s human rights history, followed by a statement along the lines of ‘now we are about to make it happen to these people’. But without some names to fill the gap, it is a bit vague.
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I hope I’m not giving undue credit to our MPs; a few at least, in my experience, seem outwardly to have some interest in human rights cases.
Winning friends and influencing people??
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/scholarships/
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Chevening Scholarships are for future leaders from around the world, usually to fund one-year Masters courses at British universities
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Marshall Scholarships for US citizens to study in the UK, commemorating the humane ideals of the Marshall Plan
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Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP), established in 1959, and supports around 700 awards annually
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In 2007-8 year the Chevening Scholarships cost the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office approximately £22 million. Letter for Foreign Affairs Committee In the same year the Chevening Fellowships cost approximately £4 million. Wikipedia.
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There is even a special scholarship for Israeli nationals in memory of one of the members of Haganah and a later Mahior General in the IDF, Chaim Herzog.
,
{http://ukinisrael.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/working-with-israel/uk-israel-relations/fco-scholarships}
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The Chevening Award
We invite applications for the Chevening scholarship. Scholarships are available to Israeli nationals for postgraduate study in the UK for 3 to 12 months. The scholarship aims to bring tomorrow’s leaders from Israel to undertake their Masters degree in the UK.
All applications will be considered, however priority is given to study related to public policy, governance, politics and media.
The Chevening application process for 2012-13 is now open until 31st January 2012.
Applicants should apply online via the eChevening website
Chevening – UCL Israel Alumni – Chaim Herzog Award
The University College London (UCL) Israel Alumni Association and the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) offer an annual award in memory of the late President Chaim Herzog. The award will enable the recipient to undertake a Masters Programme at UCL in September 2011.
All applications will be considered, however priority is given to public policy, governance and politics.
The Chevening UCL Israel Alumni-Chaim Herzog Award application process for 2011-12 is now closed.
What does the Scholarship cover?
Tuition fees (up to a maximum of £12,000)
A monthly allowance
Student visa costs
Pre-departure briefing from the British Council
Scholarships do not cover the costs for accompanying family
Interviews
The FCO makes the final decision on applications for Chevening scholarships. Candidates are assessed on academic merit; achievements to date both in and outside of the academic and workplace areas; referees’ letters; proposed area of study and future career in line with FCO priority areas; leadership potential and potential to further strengthen the UK-Israel bilateral relationship.
We are committed to a Policy of Equal Opportunities and we welcome applications from all sections of the community. All applications will be evaluated solely on the basis of the award criteria as listed on the website
The Board’s decision is final and confidential and no appeals are considered. The British Council or British Embassy is unable to enter into any discussion about the board’s decisions.
Other Scholarships
The Leonard Sainer Scholarship for the study of a Masters of Law at University College London (UCL) will not be administered in 2011. We will update this website with details for 2012 when they are available.
Lord Goodman Scholarship for Studies in the Environment unfortunately this scholarship will no longer run.
Other sources of funding – refer to a list of scholarships for Israelis to study in the UK and to the scholarship pages of Education UK
Further information
More information about Chevening is available from the Chevening website and Education UK.
This is the type of terrorism the British government is condoning, a green light of anticipation towards civil strife in Syria that will serve Israel in that the group Hezbollah will be denied a base in which to operate.
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Hezbollah, founded with Iranian help during Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war, has grown from a militia that fought Israeli forces in south Lebanon into the most powerful political and military force in the country. Hezbollah and its allies dominate the Lebanese government formed in June.
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Iran has declared and my source confirms that British intelligence and the CIA had infiltrated the group as part of a fragmentation plan to fuel opposing forces in Syria and ensure the demise of Assad. Russia has opposed sanctions on Syria as a direct result of counter-intelligence operations by Hezbollah’s security.
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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/11/20/130822/syrian-rebel-group-claims-attack.html
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The attempt ar regime change has failed and I will be writing to William Hague to justify the deaths of at least 2000 innocent Syrians as an evil instrument of regime change.
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www(dot)reuters(dot)com/article/2011/11/21/us-cia-hezbollah-idUSTRE7AK2MQ20111121
I’ll just repost this for the search engines.
Matthew Gould
Liam Fox
Adam Werritty
Agents of Influence
MI6
http://cryptome.org/mi6-list-276.htm
“311 Names on the Three Lists of MI6 Officers (including 35 duplicates above….)”
“…Matthew Steven Gould: dob 1971; 94 Manila, 02 Islamabad, 03 Tehran (DHM).*”
From the 1999 list.
Gabriele on medialens.
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Local commander made Libya defense minister: NTC source
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And those who slaughtered Gaddafi? Founding fathers, to be praised in the history books.
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(Reuters) – Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) has appointed as new defense minister the local commander whose forces captured Muammar Gaddafi’s son at the weekend, an NTC source told Reuters Tuesday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/22/us-libya-idUSTRE7AL0JM20111122
Ocampo arrives in Libya. Video of Saif Al Islam.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15831241
Payout to family of ex paratrooper who choked to death in Hull police station. Government decides to settle.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-1583749
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‘Ten years ago, a coroner’s jury decided Mr Alder was unlawfully killed.
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In 2002, five Humberside Police officers went on trial accused of manslaughter and misconduct in public office but they were cleared of all charges on the orders of the judge.
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Four years later, an Independent Police Complaints Commission report said four of the officers present in the custody suite when Mr Alder died were guilty of the “most serious neglect of duty”.
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Humberside Police Chief Constable Tim Hollis apologised at the time “for our failure to treat Christopher with sufficient compassion and to the desired standard that night”, although the Police Federation said the officers involved “strongly disputed” the report’s conclusions.’
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Good for Alder’s sister who persisted against the authorities in this shocking case.
Mark I support your indefatigability in rewriting the history of Syria.
BTW don’t you think that one reason the Russians might be against sanctions on glorious republic of the leader hero Assad is in gratitude for the sailing facilities he has granted on the Med?
Stephen….no, I don’t. I think it might be for the same reasons as Israel, as recently as 2006, did not want regime change in Damascus, and said so. Fear of the Muslim Brotherhood gaining the ascendancy and reallyscrewing the Mediterranean pooch.
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http://english.al-akhbar.com/wikileaks-cables/advisor-tells-peretz-its-syria-syria-syria
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“In an August 2 (2006 -K) conversation, unofficial MinDef Peretz
advisor Pini Medan told Pol/C that among all the issues
Peretz is facing, Medan stresses to the minister the need to
cut the link between Syria and Iran, or, more importantly,
“how to recruit Syria to our side.” The problem, he said, is
that Israeli leaders are getting signals from the United
States “that Asad is a bad guy” and that Israel will anger
the United States if it seeks to deal with Asad. “Some of us
think Syria is a key player”; Israel needs to recognize this
to pull it away from Iran. He stressed that he does not
believe in the democratization of Syria that some USG
officials call for — the result would be the Muslim
Brotherhood. “Forget regime change, I don’t believe in it.”
Of course, that was before Netanyahu closed the door on giving back any stolen territory…
Just came across this. The cruelty involved is horrifying. Why did he do it?
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Man arrested after dog dragged to its death in Sussex
Dog dragged to death behind car
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A man has been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty after a dog was dragged behind the back of a Porsche for more than six miles.
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Sussex Police said a 33-year-old who handed himself into to a police station in Worthing was being questioned.
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The car was seen dragging the dog at the Devil’s Dyke car park near Brighton at about 2200 GMT on Sunday and then on the A27, 30 minutes later.
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PC Scott Walters said the beagle-collie cross suffered “horrific injuries”.
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The body of the dog was found in a lay-by near the Southwick Tunnel.
Even worse. The scalding to death of a child.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-15834904