Guantanamo Bay

08.10.06

A New Malden resident has been in prison now for four years. Without trial.

He’s not been told what the charges are against him. His family haven’t seen him. 

He was arrested on a business trip. Flying from London to the Gambia, he was arrested for having a suspicious package, interrogated but released without charge. His “suspicious package” was a battery charger.

Yet the Gambians arrested him on arrival. They then gave him to the Americans for interrogation. The CIA flew him to Afghanistan, where, it is alleged, he was tortured. Then to Guantanamo Bay.

I’ve asked questions about this New Malden resident for four years. His family – all British citizens – live with pain and uncertainty. Like me, they say if their son and brother has done something bad, charge him. Let a judge and jury hear the evidence.

We believe the Americans detain Bisher because he knew someone alleged to be involved with al Qaida, Abu Qatada, a Muslim cleric. Beyond his association with Abu Qatada, we believe the Americans have no evidence to connect Bisher with any terrorist activity. Indeed, Bisher claims he helped the British secret services communicate with Abu Qatada. For months.

You begin to get the picture. It’s a murky world. It’s difficult to know who or what to believe. Yet there’s one thing I’ve always been completely convinced about. It is wrong to imprison an individual without charge and trial.