Look Behind the Wire meeting was held on Friday evening at St John's Church in Edinburgh. Scottish Human Rights lawyer Aamer Anwar was unfortunately unable to be there but sent his support to the meeting. Instead a speaker from Scotland Against Criminalising Communities was able to tell the audience about events surrounding the contempt of court charge against Aamer after representing his client Mohammad Siddique and the importance of freedom of expression in this country.
Former Guantanamo prisoner Moazzam Begg spoke on how the US-British "War on Terror" is denying people their human rights. The detentions in Britain after 9/11, torture in Guantanamo Bay and how many US service personnel did not want to be posted there.
As for detainees many of the victims are refugees. One of them is Londoner Binyam Mohamed (a refugee from Ethopia) who was arrested in Pakistan in April 2002 and then suffered horrific torture at the hands of the US and its allies before being sent to Guantanamo Bay. He is now facing trial by military commission. If convicted he could face the death penalty.
After listening to the informative talk by the speakers I did not stay to hear the questions from the floor but this was a very interesting public meeting.
LM
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