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| Muslim fears over terror prisoners A Muslim leader has warned the treatment of al-Qaeda and Taleban suspects held in Cuba could stir up further extremism. Yusuf Bhailok, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme images of shackled and blindfolded detainees was causing resentment. He added the captives were "absolutely prisoners of war" and should be treated as such. "Many people have been horrified at the abhorrent sights they have seen. "Our youngsters are actually up in arms when they see these double standards." Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui of the self-styled Muslim Parliament of Great Britain told BBC News Online Muslims of all ages had been affected by the treatment of the Cuba prisoners. "Everybody is disturbed and worried. This concerns all sections of the community," he said. Earlier this week Dr Siddiqui wrote to Prime Minister Tony Blair to complain about the treatment of seven Muslims detained in the UK under the new terror legislation. The National Council for the Welfare of Muslim Prisoners has also written to prison authorities asking about conditions for four men currently being held in Belmarsh high security prison in south east London. It is reported that the men, who have not yet been charged with an offence, are being held under the same regime as high risk prisoners and are shut in their cells for 22 hours a day. They are unable to speak to their families in Arabic unless an approved translator who is at the prison only once a week is present, reports say. It is also reported they have only been provided with facilities to worship for 15 minutes on a Friday, but without the prison's imam who was suspended over allegations of "inappropriate comments" following the 11 September attacks. In spite of being reinstated after the allegations against him were not proven, the imam has not yet returned to work. The Home Office has defended the conditions in which the men are being held, saying they were no different to those of other high risk Category A inmates at the prison. However in his letter to Mr Blair, Dr Siddiqui accused the government of hypocrisy. He wrote: "It is hypocritical to stretch out our hand of friendship and reconciliation to the Muslim world, and with the other treat Muslim political activists, held without trial or conviction, in a manner described as barbaric by Britain's own medical experts." Dr Siddiqui said the men were not terrorists but "political campaigners" who had been rounded up in a "witch-hunt". He added that the continuing arrests and detentions were tantamount to "harassing and intimidating" the Muslim community. 23rd January 2002 |
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