I was wondering where I could get a copy of this book ? My husband was detained in Ottawa, Canada for 43 months (on a Security Certificate) without charge or access to the evidence and now lives under the thoughest bail conditions in Canadian history for 1.5 years. He was arrrested on Dec. 10th (Human Rights Day) in 2002…so this nightmare has lasted 5 years so far. I have become his jailer and I’m a prisoner in my own home. He wears a GPS bracelet, and I have to supervise him 24/7…so I cannot work or campaign/lobby like before. Life has been hard. After the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Security Certificates were unconstitutional…our Conservative governement has come up with a new version of the law which is horrifying. It’s a worst version of the British model of Special Advocate. I have been updated regularly by my friend Ann Alexander who’s friends are also Algerian like my husband. Please keep me posted or let me know where I can get a copy.
For more info. for similar cases in Canada
http://www.zerra.net
All the best,
Sophie Harkat
Ottawa, Canada

Dear Andy,
Have just read your article and want to congratulate you on it. I have been to Walsall six times in the last year to visit one of the Kurds under control order. A less likely terrorist you are unlikely to meet! He had until this ruling house arrest of 14 hours a day, being allowed out from 8 till 6, and his visitors did not need to be vetted. Also, he was allowed to make arrangements to meet people. Since the ruling, his house arrest has been increased to 16 hours a day, any visitors must go through Home Office vetting, which can take months, and he is not allowed to make any arrangement to meet anybody. I thought you may be interested to know this. I always appreciate your articles. My friend Ann Alexander made sure I didn’t miss this one. She may have told you already what I just have.
My best wishes to you. I will most definitely be buying your book.
Wish there were more people like you!
Eleanor Boyd

Ann wrote:

Thanks, Andy, for another excellent article. On the afternoon of the decision by the Law Lords, while the Home Secretary was saying to the media that she might consider 16-hour curfews, my young Iraqi friend (NN), was served with new control orders. His time outside was reduced from 8am/6pm to 9am/5pm (16 hour curfew). People, again, have to be vetted to visit his house and he can no longer make pre-arranged meetings. This control order is actually worse than the original served on him when he was released from Full Sutton prison in December 2005. As for some of the other Muslims under control orders, Mahmoud Abu Rideh is back in Belmarsh – held in Health Care – accused of breaching his control orders. He was not imprisoned for deportation in August 2005, as he is Palestinian. Another, “E” was not imprisoned for deportation, as he is Tunisian.

Now that eight despairing men, who could not endure their inhumane treatment in the UK any longer, have returned to Algeria (two who were charged and go on trial in Nov 10th), it is worthy of note, that when the first two Algerians returned to Algeria, a Home Office statement claimed that this proved that control orders work! Two Algerians remain on the outside held on deportation bail (which tends to be referred to as control orders). They are only allowed out for two hours a day. One is “G” who is a married man with two children. G is wheelchair bound. He walked in to Belmarsh in December 2001 and left in a wheelchair weighing 7 stone. His mental health deteriorated and he was released under total house arrest for a year until the other men were released from Belmarsh in March 2005. He was then put on control orders. The other is “B” whose mental health totally collapsed in Belmarsh and his release in March 2005 was from Broadmoor – a hospital for the criminally insane. At that time Mahmoud was also detained in Broadmoor with “P” who returned to Algeria at the beginning of the year. David Blunkett, the then Home Secretary, transferred these men to Broadmoor at a time when he now claims that he was also suffering a mental breakdown! Like David Blunkett, none of these men have been convicted of a crime and they are not insane but unlike David Blunkett, they are Muslims.

G is a victim of torture. At least three of the men held in the unit at Full Sutton are also victims of torture. Mustapha Taleb (Algerian), Adel Bari (Egyptian) and Farid Hilali (Moroccan). Farid set a precedent recently by winning his fight against extradition to Spain but instead of being released he is still held in the Unit with another nine Muslims.

I don’t know any of the British nationals under control orders but I am sure their control orders are not as restrictive as the others.

Thanks again for your well researched article, Andy. I am on chapter 8 of your book – The Guantánamo Files – and it makes me reflect on the situation of my Muslim friends detained without charge or trial in the UK. All power to your pen.

Best wishes,
Ann Alexander