Guantánamo Bay: The Case of Omar Deghayes

On 28th June 2007 Abu Bakr Deghayes who is Omar Deghayes brother and Jackie Chase of the Brighton based Save Omar campaign (

http://www.save-omar.org.uk/ ) spoke at a public meeting in Sheffield: "Voices from Guantánamo - How the War on Terror terrorises the Innocent" (

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/sheffield/2007/06/373557.html ).

Abu Deghayes and Jackie Chase - How the "War on Terror" Terrorises the Innocent - mp3 34M

Jackie Chase, Abu Bakr Deghayes and Jillian Creasy

Omar Deghayes, a British resident, was kidnapped by bounty hunters in Pakistan (according to Retired Colonel Ann Wright 95% of detanies in Guantánamo were purchased by the US for between $5k and $25k each, Omar Deghayes cost them $5k, listen to

http://aud1.kpfa.org/data/20070605-Tue1700.mp3 |

http://www.flashpoints.net/archive/archive-2007-Jun-all.html#2007-06-05 for more on this) in 2001 and taken to Bagrama and from there to Guantánamo.

Moazzam Begg from Cage Prisoners (

http://www.cageprisoners.com/ ) was unfortunally unable to attend due to illness, in his place the short film, Omar Deghayes: the search for justice was screened, you can watch and download this film here:

http://parsleyproductions.blip.tv/file/139884/

Attached is a audio recording of the meeting from 2%Human which starts with the introduction from Jillian Creasy, one of the two Sheffield Green Party (

http://www.sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/ ) Councillors, the recording misses out the film screening and then has Jackie Chase followed by Abu Bakr Deghayes and finally questions and contributions from the floor.

For further information see:

Save Omar Deghayes

http://www.save-omar.org.uk/

Cageprisoners.com

http://www.cageprisoners.com/

Campaign against Criminalising Communities

http://www.cacc.org.uk/

The National Guantanamo Coalition

http://www.guantanamo.org.uk/

Chris

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Additions

Action points from the meeting

06.07.2007 23:47

Voices from Guantanamo

Meeting, held on June 28th 2007

Actions

* Write to Omar Deghayes (and the other residents)

both so that he receives post and the guards and administration know that people are aware of and watching what is happening there.

Prisoner 727
160 Camp Delta
Washington DC
20053
USA

* Write to the new Home Secreatary - Jackie Smith to appeal that Omar's residency and right to remain is upheld as his application for citizenship was in process

2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

* Write to the new Foreign Secretary appealing to return the residents back into British Jurisdiction

FCO
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AA

* Write to the British Embassy in Washington, although the British government is not instructing them, they continue to talk to the US authorities about the British Residents and letters from British public supports them in that

* Engage Churches in the City - Wales is handing in a petition signed by both Bishops on 18th july

* Engage GPs in writing to doctors at Guantanamo Bay to express their concern about the lack of medical treatment to the detainees and the force feeding. Dr Nicholls in Birmingham is bringing a case against the doctor in charge of that force feeding, with the endorsement of the British and America Medical Associations

* Research and use the Frank Pledge Principle to gather a group of 10 or 12 people to 'adopt' a resident and take on responsibility for them, write to the detainee asking if they would like to be adopted.

* Fundraise to support the Omar Campaign to go to Washington in September to raise awareness of his case, speak to the political opposition

* Pressure MPs to attend public meeting on Wednesday 4th July at the House of Commons 6.30pm for 7pm

* Host the exhibition of photographs and biographies of the British residents in Sheffield

* Sign Online petition at gov.uk to close Guantanamo

* Pressure multiplex cinemas to show Taking Liberties

* Join the National campaign - involves fortnightly meetings on Sunday nights

* Get Sheffield Council, as an extraordinary body of people to ask Jack Straw (is that the right person now) to reconsider if Omar (and others) not a citizen

* Check if Sheffield Airport being used for rendition flights, If so make a complaint to the police

* Write to Gordon Brown to bring residents back into British Jurisdiction

* Statement from this meeting to the Council and to the new Parliament

Sheffield Guantanamo Campaign