View Full Version : Think The Coverege Isn't Balanced, Try Balancing It...
Action Alert - Online Poll
Independent legal magazine The Firm asks "Should lawyer Aamer Anwar face contempt of court charges over his comments made after the Siddique trial?"
www.firmmagazine.com/index.php
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British Injustice System
Today [23 Oct 2007] I witnessed a serious crime. It was committed in broad daylight in front of fifty or so witnesses in the High Court in Edinburgh, Scotland. The perpetrator of this crime was the British State which, through a judge, Lord Carloway, sentenced Mohammed Atif Siddique, a young Muslim male, aged 21 years, to 8 years imprisonment....Full article by John Wight at http://tinyurl.com/26fjjc
Full statement issued by Lord Carloway on sentencing Mohammed Atif Siddique at http://tinyurl.com/22jxtl
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In the Press
28 Oct - Police track 20 more terror plot suspects - Scotland on Sunday
A HARD core of 20 Islamic extremists with links to foreign terror groups is operating north of the Border and poses a "significant" risk to public safety, Scotland on Sunday can reveal....Scotland on Sunday can also reveal that concern at the terror threat is now so great that up to 1,000 Scottish Asians will be placed under surveillance in coming months because they associate with known radicals. Special Branch, backed by MI5 officers, will carry out checks on the individuals looking for evidence of radicalisation such as changes in clothing and increased mosque attendance. Report at http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1718092007
28 Oct - Sunday Mirror on Aamer Anwar
RABBLE-ROUSING lawyer Aamer Anwar's rant about "no justice" when his client, Mohammed Siddique, was jailed on terrorism charges, rightly got him in hot water with the High Court judge. Read Anna Smith's column at http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/columnists/annasmith/2007/10/28/what-drink-problem-98487-20021768/
24 Oct Wannabe Suicide Bomber's City Centre Target - The Record
A WOULD-be suicide bomber who was jailed for eight years intended to blow up central Glasgow http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2007/10/24/terror-fanatic-wanted-to-blow-up-city-centre-86908-19999171/
24 Oct Student jailed for terror propaganda - The Times
A would-be suicide bomber was jailed for eight years yesterday after he was found guilty of a series of Islamist terrorism offences including amassing and distributing terrorist propaganda. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article2726615.ece
If you don't think the coverege is very balanced, you could try balancing the letters pages.
Jazakallah khair!
If this guy was planning to bomb some place and kill some people, why shouldn't he be jailed? 8 years seems rather considerate if these circumstances are correct.
insomniac
01-11-07, 12:42 AM
If this guy was planning to bomb some place and kill some people, why shouldn't he be jailed? 8 years seems rather considerate if these circumstances are correct.
What happened to the concept of innocent until proven guilty?
Abandoned-Mind
01-11-07, 01:13 AM
Scotland on Sunday can also reveal that concern at the terror threat is now so great that up to 1,000 Scottish Asians will be placed under surveillance in coming months because they associate with known radicals.
Special Branch, backed by MI5 officers, will carry out checks on the individuals looking for evidence of radicalisation such as changes in clothing and increased mosque attendance.
...
noor-upon-noor
01-11-07, 04:50 AM
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:smack: This is exactly it, people do not speak up!
insomniac
02-11-07, 05:36 PM
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where is this quote from :confused:
p.s. Nazias, 'coverege' is spelt coverage :p
p.s. Nazias, 'coverege' is spelt coverage :p
Yeah, I know Ms. Smart :rolleyes: I saw it afterwards but blame SACC as I didnt write it love! :p
Abandoned-Mind
02-11-07, 08:16 PM
It was from of the links Nazias pasted...
Clothing? going to Mosque?
Whats the war on?
Clothing? going to Mosque?
Whats the war on?
Everything! :rolleyes:
:shock: You got Stewie in your avatar! :up: and with a beard! :rotfl:
Abandoned-Mind
02-11-07, 08:24 PM
Everything! :rolleyes:
:shock: You got Stewie in your avatar! :up: and with a beard! :rotfl:
Stewie took a 2 year Aalim course.
He is now ash Shaykh Stewie.
Stewie took a 2 year Aalim course.
He is now ash Shaykh Stewie.
:rotfl: I thought I was like the only person who watched family guy!
Below is a statement from Stop the War Scotland.
If you would like to sign this statement, send your name to glasgowstopwar@gmail.com
OPEN LETTER IN SUPPORT OF AAMER ANWAR
Recently, Mohammad Atif Siddique was sentenced to a total of 8 years for terrorism offences. Irrespective of the differing views on the outcome of the case, the criticism levelled towards Mr Siddique's solicitor, Aamer Anwar, over a statement that he released on the day of the verdict is extremely disturbing.
Following sentencing on the 23rd October, Aamer Anwar was ordered to appear at a court hearing before the Judge. He was accused of showing disrespect to the Judge, the Jury and the Court. Aamer has now been informed that the matter may be remitted to another High Court Judge to consider Contempt of Court proceedings against him. The possibility that Aamer Anwar may have to face contempt charges is deeply worrying and is an unprecedented attack on freedom of speech.
Aamer has earned a reputation as one of the most prominent human rights lawyers in Scotland today. He represented the Chokhar family in their long struggle for justice and has diligently defended asylum-seekers. He has represented victims of the 'war on terror', who were accused of terrorism, and who where eventually proved innocent of the charges laid against them. In 2005, he helped campaigners negotiate a way to the G8 Summit at Gleneagles and defended demonstrators arrested during the protests.
Following the collapse of the Worlds End Trial, the Lord Advocate stressed the importance of the independence of the Judiciary and Prosecution. Equally as important is an independent defence, which is often all that stands between the accused and the state. We might not always agree with Aamer Anwar, but he is part of a rich and important tradition of campaigning lawyers that speak without 'fear or favour'.
If the Judiciary is successful in silencing Aamer Anwar, then this will have far-reaching consequences. A lawyer's job is to represent their clients to the best of their ability – no matter what crimes they are accused of.
All those who campaign against injustice and for a better world, know that one day they may have to face the state in a courtroom. They need lawyers who are willing to advocate and speak out on their behalf. We should all be very worried if the effect of this case is to make lawyers reluctant to carry out this work for fear of the repercussions.
We believe that the current attack on Aamer Anwar is an attack on the fundamental right of all lawyers to represent their clients.
-- Glasgow Stop the War Coalition www.stopwar.org.uk
Download a printable petition: http://www.sacc.org.uk/sacc/resources/defend_aamer_anwar_petition.pdf
Aamer Anwar To Face Contempt Charges
Aamer Anwar is to face contempt of court proceedings over statements he made after the verdict was announced in the Siddique trial. The case will be heard before a panel of up to three judges in Edinburgh High Court. The date of the hearing has yet to be announced. The move was announced in a lengthy "note" issued by Lord Carloway, the judge in the Siddique case.
It is clear from the detailed contents of the note that this is a wide-ranging attack meant to remove from defence lawyers any possibility of dealing in a politically-aware way with politically-driven cases. Lord Carloway particularly objects to Aamer Anwar's public comment that the the prosecution was driven by the state. Yet there is clear evidence - for example in statements made by senior officials to parliamentary committees - that many arms of the state are routinely involved in the decisions leading up to a "terrorism" arrest. The ongoing involvement of the security services in the presentation of the Siddique case was made clear to anyone who doubted it by their public intervention as soon as the verdict was announced. Anonymous "security" sources told the press of startling new allegations against the convicted man - even though nothing relating to these allegations had been mentioned during the trial.
Lord Carloway seems to think that the legal/political facts of life should never be mentioned in public - at least, not by any anyone connected with the Scottish justice system. And he seems to think that a guilty verdict should bind everyone connected with the system to stick to the judge's interpretation of the evidence heard in court. Apparently the traditional lawyer's statement from the steps of the court is good enough for England, but not for Scotland.
Lord Carloway's vendetta risks bringing the whole Scottish justice system into disrepute. As if it wasn't in enough trouble already, with the fingerprint scandal not quite behind it, with the William Gage and Stuart Gair miscarriages of justice still fresh in many people's memory, and with the Lockerbie trial still rolling around in the basement like an unexploded hand grenade.
It would be nice to see the Scottish legal profession stand up in defence of freedom of speech and the right of people targeted by the state to an effective defence. But these seem to be ideas that the Scottish legal establishment hardly dare whisper even to itself.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7080649.stm
Support Aamer Anwar - Open Letter Goes Live
Glasgow solicitor Aamer Anwar is facing contempt of court proceedings over a statement that he released on behalf of his client, Mohammed Atif Siddique, who was convicted for "terrorism" in Glasgow High Court in September. This is deeply worrying and is an unprecedented attack on freedom of speech.
Last Tuesday, Aamer Anwar received a fantastic display of support at a vibrant public meeting in Glasgow. Members of the Siddique family and the Chokkar family joined anti-war campaigners, civil liberties campaigners, campaigners for refugees, trade unionists and ordinary people from many of Glasgow's communities to stand up for freedom of expression.
The Stop the War Coalition has issued a statement in the form of an open letter (the letter was first published in the Herald newspaper on 8 November)
If you have already emailed with your support for the letter - THANK YOU
If you haven't yet given your support to the letter:
Join Moazzam Begg, Gareth Peirce, Tony Benn, Mohammad Sarwar MP, Sandra White MSP, Tommy Sheridan, Paddy Hill and others
Sign up today at www.sacc.org.uk/defendaamer/
(the Open Letter is now live. Don't email with your support - just visit the address above)
Please help spread the word:
Ask you friends and contacts to sign up
If you have a website or a blog, please add a link to the open letter. Find out how at http://www.sacc.org.uk/aameranwar/makealink.php
Do you know a lawyer?
If you know a lawyer - especially a lawyer in Scotland - browse to www.sacc.org.uk/aameranwar/petition_view.php and check to see if they have signed the open letter in support of Aamer Anwar. If they haven't, please ask them to do so.
Ask them to sign up at www.sacc.org.uk/defendaamer/
Many people know a lawyer. Perhaps it's the lawyer who helped you buy or sell a house. Perhaps its someone you went to university with. Perhaps it's a friend or neighbour. Perhaps it's a lawyer who helped you or a friend with an asylum claim. Whatever contacts you have, please use them.
Have you signed up yourself? This isn't just a matter for lawyers. Sign up now! Even if you've already indicated support for the letter, you can make sure your name is included in the online listing by browsing to the address above
Ask your MSP to support the motion about Aamer Anwar in the Scottish parliament
Thank You to everyone who has already asked their MSPs to support Margo MacDonald's motion about Aamer Anwar in the Scottish Parliament. If you haven't yet done so, please contact all your MSPs using www.writetothem.com
Ask them to support the following motion:
S3M-810 Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind) : Aamer Anwar— That the Parliament, while recognising and strongly supporting the independence of the judiciary, is concerned that a contempt of court charge should be hanging over the head of Mr Aamer Anwar, solicitor, for his remarks made outside the court, following the verdict in the trial of Mohammed Atif Siddique; notes that Mr Anwar’s comments on aspects of the prosecution and trial, on behalf of his client, were controversial; believes that the Scottish judicial system is robust enough to absorb criticism and that solicitors should not be constrained from speaking out against injustice, and recalls cases where the system has been faulty to the point of innocent persons being found guilty.
Let us know what they say - contact richard@sacc.org.uk
Mon 10 Dec - Defend Aamer Anwar - Activists Meeting (Glasgow)
7pm Al Bait Society, 25 Woodside Place (near Charing Cross), Glasgow
Human Rights lawyer Aamer Anwar is facing contempt of court charges. Come along to this meeting and help organise support for him.
All activists and would-be activists welcome - whether from Glasgow or elsewhere.
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