Latest news with #terrorcharges
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Sally Rooney: I support Palestine Action. If this makes me a ‘supporter of terror' under UK law, so be it
On Saturday, August 9th, UK police arrested more than 500 peaceful protesters on suspicion of terror offences. The vast majority of these arrests took place on Parliament Square, London , where Irish citizens such as Sinéad Ní Shiacáis, from Limerick, were among those detained, but in Belfast too, a woman was arrested by the PSNI. These protesters were not engaged in any violent acts, nor were they promoting any violence against any living creatures at all. And yet they may now face life-altering terror charges, some of which could result in up to 14 years in prison. Why? Because, with a full understanding of the consequences, these brave individuals chose to express support for the protest group Palestine Action. Since its foundation in 2020, Palestine Action has primarily organised direct-action protests against weapons manufacturers: defacing buildings, breaking windows and occupying factories. This summer, as the UK continued to offer material and diplomatic support for the ongoing genocide in Gaza , activists broke into an RAF airbase and used spray-paint to vandalise two aircraft. The Government responded by proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, placing the group on the same legal footing as al-Qaeda and Islamic State. The group's cofounder, Huda Ammori, is now rightly fighting this designation in the courts, but in the meantime, any expression of support for Palestine Action, even a simple placard or T-shirt, constitutes a serious terror offence under UK law. Meanwhile, the Irish Government – along with virtually every humanitarian organisation worldwide – has recognised that Israel is committing genocide in Palestine . Genocide is the gravest of international crimes and, for most of us, quite aside from any legal framework, the most abhorrent wrong imaginable. Under the Genocide Convention, to which both Ireland and the UK are signatories, nation states have a duty not only to punish but also to prevent the commission of this incomparably horrifying crime. Activists who disrupt the flow of weapons to a genocidal regime may violate petty criminal statutes, but they uphold a far greater law and a more profound human imperative: to protect a people and culture from annihilation. But while Irish citizens – including potentially here on the island of Ireland – are accused of terrorism for protesting an acknowledged genocide, the Irish Government has so far remained silent. When our citizens are arrested under authoritarian regimes elsewhere, the State and its consular services tend to spring into action, or at least purport to, in order to defend the human rights of Irish passport holders. Now that the jurisdiction in question is located next door – and indeed closer still – our leaders seem curiously unwilling to act. If the Government in Dublin truly believes that Israel is committing genocide, how can it look elsewhere while its nearest neighbour funds and supports that genocide and its own citizens are arrested simply for speaking out? READ MORE Sally Rooney: 'The ramifications for cultural and intellectual life in the UK will be profound' The arrest of a protester in Belfast surely represents a particularly egregious example of political policing. When a storm damaged an infamous loyalist mural in north Belfast last year, rebuilding commenced immediately, and the wall is now once again emblazoned with the iconography of the Ulster Volunteer Force. No arrests were made on that basis, nor has the mural been taken down, though the UVF is a proscribed terrorist organisation responsible for the murders of hundreds of civilians. Palestine Action, proscribed under the same law, is responsible for zero deaths and has never advocated the use of violence against any human being. Why then are its supporters arrested for wearing T-shirts, while murals celebrating loyalist death squads are left untouched? Can the PSNI explain this demonstrably selective enforcement of anti-terror law? Perhaps the British state should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WH Smith and the BBC While protesters are labelled terrorists in the UK, Palestinian civilians are, of course, labelled terrorists by Israeli forces. But where UK protesters face trumped-up charges and prison sentences, Palestinians face violent death. Last weekend Israeli forces assassinated a team of Al Jazeera reporters in Gaza, including the renowned journalist Anas al-Sharif , whose work with Reuters was awarded the Pulitzer Prize last year. Rather than denying responsibility for this appalling war crime, Israel openly took credit for the assassination, claiming – with no credible evidence – that Anas al-Sharif, an accomplished and beloved reporter, was in fact a 'terrorist'. This claim, though baseless, has been repeated widely in western media in the days since. Once the special word 'terrorist' is invoked, it seems, all laws melt into air and everything is permitted. In this context I feel obliged to state once more that – like the hundreds of protesters arrested last weekend – I too support Palestine Action. If this makes me a 'supporter of terror' under UK law, so be it. My books, at least for now, are still published in Britain, and are widely available in bookshops and even supermarkets. In recent years the UK's state broadcaster has also televised two fine adaptations of my novels, and therefore regularly pays me residual fees. I want to be clear that I intend to use these proceeds of my work, as well as my public platform generally, to go on supporting Palestine Action and direct action against genocide in whatever way I can. If the British state considers this 'terrorism', then perhaps it should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WH Smith and the BBC. Protesters in London last weekend. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA To ensure that the British public is made aware of my position, I would happily publish this statement in a UK newspaper – but that would now be illegal. The present UK Government has willingly stripped its own citizens of basic rights and freedoms, including the right to express and read dissenting opinions, in order to protect its relationship with Israel. The ramifications for cultural and intellectual life in the UK – where the eminent poet Alice Oswald has already been arrested, and an increasing number of artists and writers can no longer safely travel to Britain to speak in public – are and will be profound. But as Sinéad Ní Shiacáis said after her arrest last weekend: 'We are not the story; the Palestinian people are the story. They are begging people to give them a voice.' Palestine Action has been among the strongest of those voices in the UK, taking direct steps to halt the seemingly unstoppable machinery of violence. We owe their courageous activists our gratitude and solidarity. And by now, almost two years into a live-streamed genocide, we owe the people of Palestine more than mere words. Sally Rooney is a novelist
Daily Mail
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Al-Qaeda-trained Aussie David Hicks hit by major new blow just days before his 50th birthday
Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks - who was convicted of Al-Qaeda terror charges before they were overturned ten years ago - is facing a major health battle. Hicks converted to Islam as a teenager in 1999 and trained at Al-Qaeda terror camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan before he was handed over to the US military in 2001. The US branded him an enemy combatant and transferred him to the US Naval base in Cuba where he was held with other terror suspects for more than five years. He said he was tortured while being held there and only pleaded guilty to supporting terrorism because of his 'desperation for release from Guantanamo', his lawyer said. The former jackaroo was allowed to serve the remaining nine months of his seven-year suspended sentence in Australia in 2007, before the conviction was overturned in 2015. He has since kept a relatively low profile, but his father Terry Hicks has now revealed his son is facing a new crisis just days before his 50th birthday on Thursday. 'He's not doing well,' Mr Hicks told the Daily Mail at his home in Adelaide's northern suburbs, where he campaigned tirelessly for his son's freedom 20 years ago. 'He has heart problems [and] he can't get work.' Mr Hicks, seen this week with Hicks' stepmother, Bev, said his son still suffers psychological problems from his treatment at Guantanamo. Before converting to Islam, Hicks worked as a farmhand on outback cattle stations in the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia. The father of two initially travelled to Kosovo in the Balkans to join the Kosovo Liberation Army which triggered his religious conversion on his return to Adelaide. He then travelled to Pakistan in 1999 to study Islam, attended a terror training camp where he learnt to use military weapons, and subsequently crossed into Afghanistan. Once there, he reportedly attended several camps, including al-Qaeda's Al Farouk training camp, where he used the alias Muhammad Dawood. He denied any knowledge of connections between the camp and the terrorist group, insisting he did not know what al-Qaeda was at the time. But he did meet with group leader Osama Bin Laden, who claimed responsibility for the 9/11 attacks in New York, which killed 2,977 people in 2001. In letters to his parents between 1999 and 2001, revealed in the Adelaide Federal Magistrates Court in 2007, Hicks called Bin Laden a 'lovely' person. 'He's a lovely brother - the only reason the West calls him a... terrorist is because he got the money to take action,' he wrote. 'I am now very well trained for jihad in weapons, some serious like anti-aircraft missiles.' He was finally handed over to the US military in late 2001 by the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan, who received a $5,000 bounty for surrendering him to the US, and he was sent to Guantanamo Bay. In a 2004 affidavit, Hicks alleged he was beaten while blindfolded and handcuffed, forced to take medication, sedated by injection without consent, struck while sedated, sexually assaulted, and deprived of sleep. He claimed he witnessed the use of attack dogs against other Guantanamo detainees. When his conviction was set aside by the US Court of Military Commission in 2015, Hicks recounted his time at the notorious prison camp from 2002 to 2007. 'It is just unfortunate that because of politics, I was subjected to five and a half years of physical and psychological torture that I will now live with always,' he said. He insisted that government should be responsible for his medical expenses, alleging his incarceration caused long-term health issues. 'It is due to the torture – being kept in freezing conditions, small rooms for years,' he said. Problems continued to plague Hicks after his release from Guantanamo and his return to Australia. It was widely reported that he severed contact with ex-partner Jodie Sparrow, from whom he separated in 1996, and his children, Bonnie and Terry But in a 2007 interview with Woman's Day, Ms Sparrow insisted she was 'mates' with her ex and said they 'would always be close... no matter what people want to think.' Daily Mail understands Hicks is now a grandfather, with both his children now parents, but public records show his son Terry does not uses his father's surname. Hicks' father said he was unsure whether his son remains in contact with Bonnie, Terry, or his grandchildren. 'I don't know if he sees them,' he admitted. Hicks briefly moved to Sydney where he married his girlfriend, human rights advocate Aloysia Brooks, in 2009, reportedly living in Abbotsford and working for a landscape gardening business. He returned to Adelaide when the marriage ended, and in 2017, an assault charge against a former partner in Craigmore was withdrawn at Elizabeth Magistrates Court. His father - who split from Hicks' mother Susan when he was nine - told the Daily Mail his son lives 'in Modbury somewhere' in Adelaide's north, but didn't have his address. He said Hicks 'has never spoken to the media and never will', although his son did give one press conference in 2015 when his sentence was overturned. In 2012, the US Court of Appeals found the 2006 law under which David was convicted could not be applied retrospectively. The US Court of Military Commission Review vacated his sentence and set aside his guilty plea on February 18, 2015.
Daily Mail
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Glastonbury bosses closes stage amid crowd crush fears as Kneecap prepare to perform
Glastonbury bosses have closed the stage where controversial Irish language rap group Kneecap are set to perform today amid crowd crush fears. The rap trio were due to take to the West Holts stage at 4pm on Saturday, just over a week after one of their members appeared in court on terror charges. But some 45 minutes before their set was to start organisers were forced to shut off entry to the area surrounding the stage as it was already rammed with festivalgoers. Despite organisers deploying extra precautions to prevent crowd crushing, insiders have told MailOnline Glastonbury bosses are concerned about instances of dangerous overcrowding. To tackle the festival-wide problem of overcrowding at stages, daughter of the co-founder Emily Eavis said they had sold 'a few thousand fewer tickets' and expanded the capacity of the stages. But a source close to the festival has told MailOnline: 'Crowd crushing is still a massive concern at Glastonbury, over the weekend there are several warnings that have been issued to workers to watch out for certain areas. 'The Woodsies stage is the biggest headache because they've misjudged acts like Lola Young and Lorde so it definitely was a bit touch and go on Friday.' The controversial Irish band, Kneecap, told fans to get to their set early on their Instagram because 'The crowd expected today is far greater than West Holts capacity.' On June 18 the rapper was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Westminster Magistrates' Court in Free Mo Chara T-shirts. The group has defended their previous provocative performances as 'satirical' ahead of performing at Glastonbury, as the BBC confirmed it would not be livestreaming their set. Their performance will not be live-streamed but is likely to be made available later on iPlayer, the BBC has said. Senior Westminster politicians have criticised their participation in the popular music festival and called for them to be removed from the line-up, but festival bosses refused to do so. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he does not think it is 'appropriate' for Kneecap to perform at Glastonbury, while Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance. Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, appeared in court last week after being charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year. The band were also criticised following footage of a November 2023 gig allegedly showing a member saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' He was released on unconditional bail until the next hearing at the same court on August 20. Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, said the videos only resurfaced after Kneecap performed at Coachella in April, where they said 'F*** Israel. Free Palestine '. Mo Chara, along with bandmates Naoise Ó Caireallain (Móglaí Bap), and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvaí), have repeatedly argued controversy surrounding their performances is a distraction from the horrors endured by Palestinians amid Israel's war in Gaza. They said they are happy to lose income and clout in order to be 'on the right side of history', and said they hoped that 'being vocal and being unafraid' would encourage other bands to speak up on Palestine. Kemi Badenoch retweeted a post on X on Saturday criticising the BBC for saying it would likely put Kneecap's set on iPlayer Immediately before the set at Glastonbury on Saturday, artist Bob Vylan in the slot prior displayed a Palestine flag as he walked on stage. A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC is bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. 'While the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines. 'We don't always live-stream every act from the main stages and look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap's performance available on our digital platforms, alongside more than 90 other sets.' It is understood the BBC needs to consider the performance before making a final decision. The band said on Instagram: 'The propaganda wing of the regime has just contacted us.... 'They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the iPlayer later this evening for your viewing pleasure.' But the group's loyal fanbase was left fuming by the news the performance would not be livestreamed. One said: 'Kneecap not going to be broadcast live from the BBC today, Jesus wept.' A second added: 'If the BBC can't broadcast #Glastonbury2025 live, as the licence fee paying public expect, then it's time to give the broadcasting rights to a provider who will. #Kneecap.' Another fan said: 'So the same BBC that gives a platform for genocide apologists every week, unchallenged by their pathetic 'reporters' will heavily edit KNEECAP'S set today and only show you what they think is relevant.' A fourth said: 'By trying to ban Kneecap all people are doing is highlighting their message. I dont like Kneecap but this Glasto/BBC charade has been pathetic.' In an interview with The Guardian newspaper ahead of Glastonbury, Ó hAnnaidh defended their performances as 'satirical'. 'It's a joke. I'm a character. Shit is thrown on stage all the time. If I'm supposed to know every f****** thing that's thrown on stage I'd be in Mensa,' he said. 'I don't know every proscribed organisation - I've got enough s**t to worry about up there. I'm thinking about my next lyric, my next joke, the next drop of a beat.' Asked about the 'dead Tory' comments, he said it was 'a joke' and 'we're playing characters'. 'It's satirical, it's a f****** joke. And that's not the point,' he said. 'The point is, that (video) wasn't an issue until we said 'Free Palestine' at Coachella. That stuff happened 18 months ago, and nobody batted an eyelid. 'Everybody agreed it was a f****** joke, even people that may have been in the room that didn't agree - it's a laugh, we're all having a bit of craic. 'The point is, and the context is, it all (resurfaced) because of Coachella. That's what we should be questioning, not whether I regret things.' Ó hAnnaidh added: 'If you believe that what a satirical band who play characters on stage do is more outrageous than the murdering of innocent Palestinians, then you need to give your head a f****** wobble.' Conservative Party leader Ms Badenoch previously said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance at the festival. She wrote in a post on X: 'The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. 'One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. 'As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.' Meanwhile in an interview with The Sun, Sir Keir was asked if he thought the trio should perform at Glastonbury, to which he replied: 'No, I don't, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this. 'This is about the threats that shouldn't be made, I won't say too much because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.' Glastonbury founder Sir Michael Eavis this week defended the decision to keep Kneecap in the line-up. Asked if the festival still stands for something, Sir Michael told Glastonbury Free Press, the festival's resident newspaper: 'Oh heaven's above, yes, of course it does. 'And I think the people that come here are into all those things. People that don't agree with the politics of the event can go somewhere else!' Formed in 2017, the group are known for their provocative lyrics in both Irish and English. Their best-known tracks include Get Your Brits Out, Better Way To Live, featuring Grian Chatten from Fontaines DC, and 3Cag.
