Showing posts with label whistleblower. Show all posts
Showing posts with label whistleblower. Show all posts
Monday, April 25, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: At least 35 terrorists incarcerated at Guantánamo Bay were sent to fight against the West after being indoctrinated by extremist preachers in Britain, secret files obtained by The Daily Telegraph disclose.Abu Qatada and Abu Hamza, two preachers who lived off state benefits after claiming asylum, are identified by the American authorities as the key recruiters responsible for sending dozens of extremists from throughout the world to Pakistan and Afghanistan via London mosques.
The leaked documents, written by senior US military commanders at Guantánamo Bay, illustrate how, for two decades, Britain effectively became a crucible of terrorism, with dozens of extremists, home-grown and from abroad, radicalised here.
Finsbury Park mosque, in north London, is described as a “haven” for extremists. United States intelligence officials concluded the mosque served as “an attack planning and propaganda production base”.
The files will raise questions over why the Government and security services failed to take action sooner to tackle the capital’s reputation as a staging post for terrorism, which became so established that the city was termed “Londonistan”.
The documents show that at least 35 detainees at Guantánamo had passed through Britain before being sent to fight against Allied forces in Afghanistan. This is thought to be more than from any other Western nation. » | Robert Winnett, Christopher Hope, Steven Swinford and Holly Watt | Monday, April 25, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Guantanamo Bay has been used to incarcerate dozens of terrorists who have admitted plotting terrifying attacks against the West – while imprisoning more than 150 totally innocent people, top-secret files disclose.
Al-Qaeda terrorists have threatened to unleash a “nuclear hellstorm” on the West if Osama Bin Laden is caught or assassinated, according to documents to be released by the WikiLeaks website, which contain details the interrogations of more than 700 Guantanamo detainees.
However, the shocking human cost of obtaining this intelligence is also exposed with dozens of innocent people sent to Guantanamo – and hundreds of low-level foot-soldiers being held for years and probably tortured before being assessed as of little significance.
The Daily Telegraph, along with other newspapers including The Washington Post, today exposes America’s own analysis of almost ten years of controversial interrogations on the world’s most dangerous terrorists. This newspaper has been shown thousands of pages of top-secret files obtained by the WikiLeaks website.
The disclosures are set to spark intense debate around the world about the establishment of Guantanamo Bay in the months after 9/11 – which has enabled the US to collect vital intelligence from senior Al Qaeda commanders but sparked fury in the middle east and Europe over the treatment of detainees. » | Christopher Hope, Robert Winnett, Holly Watt and Heidi Blake | Monday, April 25, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Guantánamo files lift lid on world's most controversial prison » | David Leigh, James Ball, Ian Cobain and Jason Burke | Monday, April 25, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: What are the Guantánamo Bay files? Understanding the prisoner dossiers: David Leigh, the Guardian's investigations editor, explains the files and how in key cases they expose official lies » | David Leigh | Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Obama professor among 250 experts who have signed letter condemning humiliation of alleged WikiLeaks source
More than 250 of America's most eminent legal scholars have signed a letter protesting against the treatment in military prison of the alleged WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning, contesting that his "degrading and inhumane conditions" are illegal, unconstitutional and could even amount to torture.
The list of signatories includes Laurence Tribe, a Harvard professor who is considered to be America's foremost liberal authority on constitutional law. He taught constitutional law to Barack Obama and was a key backer of his 2008 presidential campaign.
Tribe joined the Obama administration last year as a legal adviser in the justice department, a post he held until three months ago.
He told the Guardian he signed the letter because Manning appeared to have been treated in a way that "is not only shameful but unconstitutional" as he awaits court martial in Quantico marine base in Virginia.
The US soldier has been held in the military brig since last July, charged with multiple counts relating to the leaking of thousands of embassy cables and other secret documents to the WikiLeaks website.
Under the terms of his detention, he is kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, checked every five minutes under a so-called "prevention of injury order" and stripped naked at night apart from a smock. » | Ed Pilkington in New York | Sunday, April 10, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The British ambassador to the US told America it should not intervene to stop the release of the Lockerbie bomber from a Scottish prison, according to leaked diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks and passed to the Daily Telegraph.Nigel Sheinwald told James Steinberg, the US Deputy Secretary of State, that he was "concerned" that the demands of victims' families were unduly influencing US policy.
His comments came during critical negotiations over whether Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was convicted of the murder of 270 passengers on Pan Am Flight 103, should be switched to a Libyan jail to serve the remainder of his sentence.
Sir Nigel was Tony Blair's foreign policy adviser between 2003 and 2007 and played a key role, alongside the Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa, in bringing Colonel Muammar Gaddafi back into the international fold. He was at Mr Blair's side for the first meeting with Colonel Gaddafi in 2007 that resulted in a substantial BP oil contract.
The cable, obtained by WikiLeaks and passed to the Daily Telegraph, is dated February 2009. It states: "Sheinwald asked that the US continue to consult with the UK in the possible transfer of ailing Pan Am bomber Abdel-Basset al-Megrahi from the UK to Libya. Specifically, he said HMG supported the discussions this week between UK and US officials to define a common strategy.
"Sheinwald cited concern that the Pan Am victims' families were asking for direct US intervention to stop the transfer. He asked that the United States delay "for a few days" any intervention with the Scottish authorities, who will ultimately decide on the transfer." » | Steven Swinford | Sunday, April 10, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
BBC: PJ Crowley was, until two weeks ago, US Assistant Secretary of State for Public affairs.He resigned under heavy political pressure after describing the Pentagon's treatment of Bradley Manning, the US soldier suspected of spilling secrets to Wikileaks as "counterproductive and stupid".
Private Manning is being held at a maximum security jail, in shackles and in solitary confinement.
In an exclusive interview for HARDtalk Mr Crowley told Stephen Sackur he didn't regret expressing his views, but declined to say whether he had been asked to resign. (+ video) » | Monday, March 28, 2011
BBC: PJ Crowley: 'No regrets' over Bradley Manning remarks – Ex-US state department spokesman PJ Crowley, who quit after criticising the treatment of the man accused of leaking secret cables to Wikileaks, has told the BBC he has no regrets. » | Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
BBC: Campaigners from Wales are travelling to London to protest over the alleged treatment of a US army private accuses of leaking confidential papers.Bradley Manning, who attended secondary school in Pembrokeshire, faces scores of charges over the documents handed to the Wikileaks website.
But there has been mounting concern about the conditions he is being held in at a military prison.
Cynon Valley MO Ann Clwyd tabled a Commons' motion on the issue last week.
"I think it is a serious case," she told BBC Wales.
"He's being held in solitary confinement, he's kept in his cell for 23 hours a day, not allowed to exercise, he's stripped of all his clothes during the night, he is not permitted to sleep during the day.
"Organisations like Amnesty International have already put out several press releases saying that Manning is being subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment."
In her early day motion, Ms Clwyd calls on the UK government to raise the issue with US counterparts, and to ensure the soldier's "detention conditions are humane" at the US Quantico marine base.
She added: "While I consider myself a friend of the Americans, I think it ill becomes them to treat one of their own soldiers in this way before he has been convicted, before he has been tried."
The issue of Pte Manning's treatment has been raised with President Obama[.]
He said he had received assurances that the terms of Pte Manning's confinement were "appropriate".
But rallies highlighting the alleged plight of Pte Manning are now being held across the US, Canada and Europe.
The 23-year-old's mother is Welsh and still lives in Pembrokeshire, where he grew up from 13 and 17. » | Saturday, March 19, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: US state department spokesman resigns after calling Pentagon 'stupid' over treatment of soldier accused over WikiLeaks.US state department spokesman PJ Crowley has resigned from his post following controversial comments involving the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.
The news on Sunday came three days after Crowley was reported to have criticised the Pentagon's treatment of detained US soldier Bradley Manning.
Crowley said the defence department's handling of Manning, who is accused of leaking thousands of confidential US documents to WikiLeaks, was "stupid" and "counterproductive". >>> Source: Al Jazeera and agencies | Sunday, March 13, 2011
Related >>>
BLOOMBERG: State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley has resigned following comments criticizing the U.S. military for its treatment of Private First Class Bradley Manning, a soldier detained on allegations he shared classified documents with the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, according to a statement from the agency.
Crowley, known as P.J., said on March 10 the military has mistreated Manning and described the conditions of his detention as “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid,” according to a blog posted by BBC reporter Philippa Thomas.
President Barack Obama said the U.S. Department of Defense assured him that Manning is not being mistreated. Crowley said the “impact of my remarks” led to his decision to leave the State Department. >>> Jeffrey Young | Sunday, March 13, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: US soldier held on suspicion of leaking state secrets speaks out for first time about experience'Stripping me of all of my clothing is without justification'
Bradley Manning, the US soldier being held in solitary confinement on suspicion of having released state secrets to WikiLeaks, has spoken out for the first time about what he claims is his punitive and unlawful treatment in military prison.
In an 11-page legal letter released by his lawyer, David Coombs, Manning sets out in his own words how he has been "left to languish under the unduly harsh conditions of max [security] custody" ever since he was brought from Kuwait to the military brig of Quantico marine base in Virginia in July last year. He describes how he was put on suicide watch in January, how he is currently being stripped naked every night, and how he is in general terms being subjected to what he calls "unlawful pre-trial punishment".
It is the first time Manning has spoken publicly about his treatment, having previously only been heard through the intermediaries of his lawyer and a friend. Details that have emerged up to now have inspired the UN to launch an inquiry into whether the conditions amount to torture, and have led to protests to the US government from Amnesty International.
The most graphic passage of the letter is Manning's description of how he was placed on suicide watch for three days from 18 January. "I was stripped of all clothing with the exception of my underwear. My prescription eyeglasses were taken away from me and I was forced to sit in essential blindness." >>> Ed Pilkington in New York | Friday, March 11, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Alleged WikiLeaks source cites demeaning routines and says he was 'punitively' placed on suicide watchSince the beginning of this month, Bradley Manning has been stripped naked every night and made to parade in front of his officers and guards in the nude. It started on 2 March when Manning was informed that his attempt to have his harsh treatment in prison ameliorated had been unsuccessful. This is an edited version of his description of what happened next:
Understandably frustrated by this decision after enduring over seven months of unduly harsh confinement conditions, I asked the brig operations officer, MSG Papakie, what I needed to do in order to be downgraded from maximum custody and prevention of injury status. MSG Papakie responded by telling me that there was nothing I could do to downgrade my detainee status and that the brig simply considered me a risk of self-harm.
Out of frustration, I responded that the PoI restrictions were absurd and sarcastically told him if I really wanted to harm myself, that I could conceivably do so with the elastic waistband of my underwear or with my flip-flops.
Later that same day, I was told that I would be stripped naked at night due to something that I had said to MSG Papakie. Shocked, I replied that I hadn't said anything. I had just pointed out the absurdity of my current confinement conditions.
Without consulting any brig mental health provider, chief warrant officer Denise Barnes used my sarcastic comment as justification to increase the restrictions imposed upon me under the guise of being concerned that I was a suicide risk. >>> Ed Pilkington in New York | Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
HAARETZ: Cable from U.S. embassy in Tripoli said Libyan leader's son Saif al-Islam had regularly siphoned off oil produced by France's Total oil company and its German partner Wintershall in offshore al Jurf field.The United States believed in 2009 that Muammar Gadhafi's son Saif al-Islam was personally profiting from part of the output of an oil field run by France's Total oil and gas company, according to a diplomatic cable published by the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten.
The cable from the U.S. embassy in Tripoli -- part of a leaked cache made available to Aftenposten by the Wikileaks site -- said the Libyan leader's son had regularly siphoned off oil produced by Total and its German partner Wintershall in the offshore al Jurf field.
"The embassy could not determine whether Saif's tapping of oil affected the Libyan state's share or whether it came at the expense of the foreign companies," Aftenposten reported on Thursday. >>> Reuters | Thursday, March 10, 2011
Thursday, March 03, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: 'Aiding the enemy' among 22 new charges brought against US soldier held in solitary confinementBradley Manning, the US soldier who has spent 10 months in solitary confinement on suspicion of having transmitted a huge trove of state secrets to WikiLeaks, now faces a possible death penalty.
The intelligence specialist, who is being held in the maximum security jail on Quantico marine base in Virginia, has been handed 22 additional military charges as part of his court martial process.
They come on top of initial charges of having illegally obtained 150,000 secret US government cables and handing more than 50 of them to an unauthorised person that carried a possible sentence of up to 52 years in prison.
Manning's lawyer, David Coombs, said that the most serious of the new charges was the Article 104 offence of "aiding the enemy". The charge carries a potential death sentence. >>> Ed Pilkington in New York | Thursday, March 03, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has criticised the European arrest warrant system after a judge ruled he should be extradited to Sweden to face sex offence charges.
The 39-year-old Australian is accused of sexually assaulting one woman and raping another during a week-long visit to Stockholm in August.
Speaking outside Belmarsh Magistrates' Court in south-east London today following the ruling, he said he had ''always known'' he would have to appeal against the decision.
The ruling against him came as a result of "a European arrest warrant system run amok", he claimed.
He said: "There was no consideration during this entire process as to the merit of the allegations made against me, no consideration or examination of even the complaints made in Sweden and of course we have always known we would appeal."
Launching into a criticism of the system, he said 95% of European arrest warrants were successful and he welcomed a pending review of UK extradition procedures due in June.
This, he hoped, would "deal with some of those abuses of European arrest warrants in law and for abuses relating to other countries such as the United States".
He also reiterated his wish that his own case be used to shed light on "abuses" of the system. >>> | Thursday, February 24, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be extradited to Sweden for alleged sex offences, a judge has ruled.District Judge Howard Riddle rejected the defence's claims that their client could not get a fair trial because of media coverage and even comments by the country's Prime Minister in Parliament.
The 39-year-old Australian faces three charges of sexually assaulting one woman and one charge of raping another during a week-long visit to Stockholm in August. >>> | Thursday, February 24, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: WikiLeaks founder handed verdict at Belmarsh magistrates court
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is to be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault. Assange will appeal, his legal team confirmed. If this is unsuccessful, he will be extradited to Sweden in 10 days.
Delivering his ruling at a hearing at Belmarsh magistrates court in London, the chief magistrate Howard Riddle systematically dismissed each of the defence's arguments against Assange's extradition.
Assange's legal team had disputed that Swedish prosecutor, Marianne Ny, had the authority to issue a European arrest warrant, but the judge ruled that she did possess this authority and the warrant issued was valid. >>> Esther Addley and Alexandra Topping | Thursday, February 24, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Julian Assange extradition decision: full judgment – Read the judgment ordering the Wikileaks founder to be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault >>> | Thursday, February 24, 2011
THE GUARDIAN – BLOG: Follow reactions to the ruling on The Guardian’s live blog >>>
Saturday, February 19, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Bahrain opposition groups received training from Iran-backed Hizbollah in Lebanon, according to the country's ruler.King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa warned senior US military figures that opposition groups in Bahrain were receiving training from Hizbollah in Lebanon.
He also told senior American military figures that Syria was "complicit" in the training by providing the Bahrainis with false passports.
The claims were reported in a leaked embassy cable sent by US diplomats in Bahrain to Washington.
The communiqué was leaked to the WikiLeaks website and handed to The Daily Telegraph.
King Hamad made the claim in a 90 minute meeting on 30 July 2008 with General David Petraeus who at the time was commander of the allied forces in Iraq. >>> Christopher Hope, Whitehall Editor | Friday, February 18, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: WIKILEAKS | La mère du fondateur de WikiLeaks l’Australien Julian Assange a accusé le gouvernement de Canberra d’avoir laissé tomber son fils, qui comparait vendredi devant un tribunal dans le cadre de la demande d’extradition vers la Suède.La mère du fondateur de WikiLeaks l’Australien Julian Assange a accusé le gouvernement de Canberra d’avoir laissé tomber son fils, qui comparait vendredi devant un tribunal de l’est de Londres dans le cadre de la demande d’extradition vers la Suède.
Christine Assange a affirmé vendredi que le ministre australien des Affaires étrangères Kevin Rudd n’avait pas respecté sa promesse de fournir une assistance diplomatique à M. Assange, de nationalité australienne. >>> AFP | Vendredi 11 Février 2011
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Monday, February 07, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The new vice-president of Egypt, Omar Suleiman, is a long-standing favourite of Israel's who spoke daily to the Tel Aviv government via a secret "hotline" to Cairo, leaked documents disclose.Mr Suleiman, who is widely tipped to take over from Hosni Mubarak as president, was named as Israel's preferred candidate for the job after discussions with American officials in 2008.
As a key figure working for Middle East peace, he once suggested that Israeli troops would be "welcome" to invade Egypt to stop weapons being smuggled to Hamas terrorists in neighbouring Gaza.
The details, which emerged in secret files obtained by WikiLeaks and passed to The Daily Telegraph, come after Mr Suleiman began talks with opposition groups on the future for Egypt's government.
On Saturday, Mr Suleiman won the backing of Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, to lead the "transition" to democracy after two weeks of demonstrations calling for President Mubarak to resign.
David Cameron, the Prime Minister, spoke to Mr Suleiman yesterday and urged him to take "bold and credible steps" to show the world that Egypt is embarking on an "irreversible, urgent and real" transition. >>> Tim Ross, Christopher Hope, Steven Swinford and Adrian Blomfield | Monday, February 07, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Judge gives Rudolf Elmer suspended fine for breaching banking secrecy in giving client information to whistleblowing website
A Swiss banker who publicised private client data on WikiLeaks was found guilty today of breaching strict banking secrecy and threatening former colleagues, but was given only a suspended fine.
The judge acquitted Rudolf Elmer on charges he sought $50,000 (£31,250) for returning client data to former employer Julius Baer and that he made a bomb threat to the bank's headquarters.
Elmer, who helped bring WikiLeaks to prominence three years ago when he used it to publish secret client details and who handed over new data to the website on Monday, had admitted sending Julius Baer data to tax authorities.
But he had denied blackmail and a bomb threat against Baer, and said he had never taken payments in return for secret data.
The court sentenced him to a fine of 7,200 Swiss francs (£4,700), suspended for two years, without giving reasons; those will come in a written judgment. The prosecution had called for an eight-month jail term and a fine of 2,000 francs.
The defence will decide whether to appeal within 10 days. >>> Reuters | Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)