The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
[Main archive index/search] [List information] [Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]
Dear List, The arrest of Dr. Abdul Haq al-Ani should come as no surprise to anyone of us who has followed the way laws have been violated in the UK and the US. All this exposes the hypocrisy of those who talk about democracy and human rights, yet would not hesitate to arrest anyone who investigates their crimes. TV stations and newspapers are closed, reporters are killed and prisoners denied their rights. I dare say Saddam was more honest: when he arrested someone, it was made clear that that happened because he opposed Saddam’s regime, without inventing reasons and fabricating stories. What interests me here also is the reference to the legal order under which Dr. al-Ani was arrested. The order, as seen by this legally ignorant person, makes it a crime to promote business with Kuwait too. That must have been the case between 6 August 1990 and 1 March 1991. After that, this order must have been repealed or amended. Otherwise, hundreds of British companies and thousands of British citizens should be imprisoned for working in and with Kuwait… This order is also in contradiction with later UN resolutions for the OFF program. Promoting business with Iraq is NOT a crime (if that happened really as is alleged), unless the person involved has actually concluded a business deal without acquiring the necessary permissions from the UN Sanctions Committee. Otherwise, the OFF allows “promoting” business because that is the only way one can get an offer accepted before the permits are applied for. That is how I understand this issue, and how logic tells me. Otherwise, the Customs and Excise should arrest anyone who offered any item to Iraq and any company which sent any representative to Iraq, because it is definite that none of those had acted “under the authority of a licence granted by the Secretary of State”. Since 1996, this order must have become obsolete, with the adoption of the OFF by the UN SC. HZ __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk