Binyan Mohamed – that well know “British resident” – must be so thankful for the BBC. Today Al Beeb leads the news cycle with Mr Mohamed’s scurrilous allegations that he would not have faced torture or extraordinary rendition but for British involvement in his case.Modestly, Binyam would also like to see former PM Blair and former US President George Bush put on trial for their crimes. You can understand why he so engages BBC sympathy, can’t you? Anyone surprised that our favourite Ethiopian illegal immigrant chose the BBC to give his first major interview? I wonder how much he was paid for it? Isn’t it disgraceful to see Jihadists getting all this oxygen of publicity care of our license taxes?
“Conspiracist evidenceless rubbish.”
A bit like going to Afghanistan to kick a drug habit,or experience Real Islam.What was wrong with Saudi Arabia?
Flown to Morocco to be tortured,when it could have be done in Pakistan.
Deegee,
“There is no evidence for it.”
There is no evidence for much of Binyam Mohameds story,but isn’t it time for other narratives to be aired? Or is speculation out of bounds? It won’t come from the BBC,an organisation with vast powers of investigation,but,apparently,a vested interest in the fixed narrative of Binyam Mohamed.
Strangely absent from Beeboids news agenda: Minister beaten after clashing with Muslims on his TV show
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1162039/Minister-beaten-clashing-Muslims-TV-show.html
Had an iman been assaulted in the same way I am sure, Wark et al would have been howling at the moon in self righteous indignation.
Can’t the photo of this piece of shit be removed, please. It’s driving me mad and ruining my enjoyment of this great blog!!!
but isn’t it time for other narratives to be aired? Or is speculation out of bounds?
Garden Trash | 15.03.09 – 3:04 pm
Fair enough. By the same argument I speculate B.M. decided on his holiday plans by sticking a pin in a map of the world. It landed on Upper Gareskh Valley where he lost his British passport in the confusion when a wedding was accidentally bombed by an American aircraft. Too embarrassed to admit publicly that his wedding gift was to say the least stingy he decided to have the bride’s cousin run off a new passport on a Gestetner printer. An alert Pakistani official noticed that the picture in the passport was of Indian Hindu cricket great Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar and reported him.
After that the story becomes a little less believable. 🙂
Evidence, Trash, evidence
I must say that I am surprised at some of the racism and facist views displayed towards immmigrants and Muslims on this website. Either in this thread (or another recently) there have even been members actively supporting and promoting the British National Party, a group of racist thugs who want to see an all-white Britain.
Onto this topic. As a member of Amnesty International, I have been actively following the case of Binyam Mohammed. The fact he was born in Ethiopia is irrelevant, he is a British resident like you or I. He is entitled to the protection of the law, to a fair trial, and to protection from torture. He has not been charged with any crimes, and yet was imprisoned for several years at the hands of brutal torturers. The way that many members here imply Binyam’s guilt is prejudiced and dangerous for the rule of law in this country. If Binyam was guilty of anything, he would be arrested already and would be on trial. As a British resident he is entitled to the same freedoms and rights that we all are. ‘Innocent before proen guilty’ is the backbone of our legal system and must be maintained at all times.
Two Questions extra that should be put to BinMo
How did you fund your drug habit when in the UK ?
You obviously think Afghanistan is a safe country to be in,do you think that the saylum seekers that come from there are bogus ?
Gavin@Lancaster UAF:
I must say that I am surprised at some of the racism and facist views displayed towards immmigrants and Muslims on this website. Either in this thread (or another recently) there have even been members actively supporting and promoting the British National Party, a group of racist thugs who want to see an all-white Britain.
I agree, the BNP are scum make no mistake, I would not ban people making reference to them as we should be free to make our views heard. I do think that mention of the BNP undermines the argument, but that is just me.
saying that, no topic, no political or religious group should be off limits. To often the real horror of racism is demeaned by the use of the smear of racism to shut down a debate.
As a member of Amnesty International, I have been actively following the case of Binyam Mohammed. The fact he was born in Ethiopia is irrelevant, he is a British resident like you or I.
he came here illegally, was caught using a forged passport, and was not given the permanent right of residency, he left of his own volition.
He is entitled to the protection of the law, to a fair trial, and to protection from torture.
true, we all should be free from torture, and murder, bombing, etc.
He has not been charged with any crimes, and yet was imprisoned for several years at the hands of brutal torturers.
he was held as a POW,during a war prisoners aer held in camps until the war is over. The fact that he was not charged with a crime is a political decision. I see you condemn the throwing around of loaded terms like terrorists, but feel free to call people you don’t know torturers. Gitmo was monitored by the Red Cross and they made no serious problems.
you are using the very biased views of a man and his lawyers who will be awarded more the worse the abuse they allege.
the tortures he alleges will leave scars, so where is his proof for his allegations?
The way that many members here imply Binyam’s guilt is prejudiced and dangerous for the rule of law in this country. If Binyam was guilty of anything, he would be arrested already and would be on trial. As a British resident he is entitled to the same freedoms and rights that we all are. ‘Innocent before proen guilty’ is the backbone of our legal system and must be maintained at all times.
Gavin@Lancaster UAF | 15.03.09 – 7:01
it is not dangerous to the rule of law as he has not, rightly or wrongly been charged in the UK. It is a matter of opinion.
do you think he is totally innocent of everything??? bearing in mind his illegal past, and the fact he was in the most oppressive, sexist, homophobic, and racist states the world has ever seen and was caught using FORGED passport…. are these the actions of a innocent man?
Deegee,
“Evidence, Trash, evidence”
On the other hand we have we have the word of Binyam Mohamed,a recovering smack head. A young man who worked as a janitor and studied electronics. Have you ever come across heroin addicts and observed their behaviour? How did Binyam Mohamed fund his somewhat expensive class A drug habit and finance a trip to Afghanistan?
There is, of course, option C,that Binyam Mohamed was going to one of the worlds major heroin producing countries,on er,”business”.Not as romantic as being a spy or a jihadi,but it would pay the bills.
As a normal young junkie fluent in the tongues of Ethiopia and Britain,Binyam Mohamed would have no problem working his way round Afghanistan with those languages,would he? Then there is the not inconsiderable question of obtaining a false passport.Have you tried doing this lately? Not as easy as you would think.After that,perhaps the reason Binyam Mohamed thought he actually needed a false passport could be cleared up,after all,he could employ the “I’ve been studying/to a wedding/experiencing true Islam excuse when he returned to his British “residency”. What was wrong with visiting Mecca for the last reason? Most good Muslims do wish to visit Mecca on Haj.
You see,Deegee,Binyam Mohamed’s narrative leaves serious questions also.
“He has not been charged with any crimes, and yet was imprisoned for several years at the hands of brutal torturers.”
Yes Binyam Mohamed should be returned to the country where he committed the serious offence of using a false passport.Back to Pakistan with him.
Gavin@ etc writes (inter alia): “He has not been charged with any crimes, and yet was imprisoned for several years at the hands of brutal torturers.”
Really. and you are quite sure of this, are you?
How?
It seems to me you are quite as prejudiced in your way as those whom you accuse.
Gavin@Lancaster UAF:
I must say that I am surprised at some of the racism and facist views displayed towards immmigrants and Muslims on this website.
And I must say that you are a nauseating pompous prick. The UAF is a joke organisation and its members should hang their heads in shame.
The greatest fascist threat since WW2 is all around, but this time it is aided and appeased by socialists and the left. In hardline Islam we have a movement that is invariably anti-semitic, bent on reversing female equality, grotesquely homophobic, and wants to impose the greatest restrictions on civil and religious freedoms. When the UAF and imbeciles like yourself start challenging Islamic supremacist thuggery you may deserve to be taken seriously.
Nor did “Gavin” address the whole point of this – its relevance to BBC bias. The bbc (perhaps at the behest of the pressure group Amnesty, of which Gavin is a member) has taken upon itself to make this repulsive story into a major news event. No other news outlet gives Mohammed this sort of coverage, no other news outlet fawns in front of him or refrains from asking him any difficult questions. And at the same time, the bbc censors the GENUINELY fascist Muslim protestors outraging the public in Luton. Usual bbc double standards, usual bbc pro-Islam bias – tinged with usual bbc pro-Amnesty bias. Is it any wonder that an Amnesty enthusiast supports the bbc?
Gone are the days when Amnesty stood for imprisoned political dissidents, for people locked away for their religious beliefs, for the genuine oppressed eg in South Africa.
Now we have fey types like Gavin supporting criminals who have a pathological wish to destroy us.
I long ago stopped subscribing. An originally worthy cause has been hijacked by the lefties with an clear agenda.
Got a heroin problem?
Go to the world centre for heroin production to get over it then.
Simple.
Obvious.
Apply for assylum because its so dangerous in your home country of Ethiopia.
The U.S. sojourn is being misinterpreted that was a two year fact finding holiday.
The fact all of his other relatives settled elsewhere is unimportant he is so British.
So the rules are if you are granted temporary leave to remain you can’t upsticks and sneak off elsewhere, he must have just genuinely made a mistake.
And when he was trying to return on a fake passport that was a genuine mistake too, he had meant to be honest but he found the false passport lying around and thought he would use it to avoid inconveniencing other air passengers, how was he to know he would be arrested.
And he has said he was tortured, thats easily evidence enough for me, amnesty international and gavin. The torture he suggests would leave permanent medical scars that could be examined to see if they exist, but to do such an examination would breach his islamic rights so I don’t see how we can, lets just believe him.
That has to be some doubt so lets release him
And just because radical islamist views go against everything amnesty so called believes in so what it would be racist to condemn beheadings, removing hands, public whipping, persecution of gays, persecution of non muslims, etc etc.
In fact while we are at it lets release all prisoners from all jails, there has to be some slight doubt in every single case
And lets everyone who visits this country in any manner be called a British resident for ever more whatever they do or their future actons.
It stands to reason, I can’t see what you are fussing about, if you can’t agree to all those moderate suggestions you must be racist and fascist, its obvious.
torture is wrong!! This is not a controversal statement. It is illegal, more than that, it does not work. People should not be tortured full stop!
howver, alegations of torture are easy. I could say I was tortured, you could…see easy. The way torture is defined is so wide and includes stuff that does not leave a mark.
but thay is not what he alleges. He is talking about physical violence, including cuts to his penis over several hours that resulted in him, and the room where it took place, being covered in blood.
because of the level of physcial harm he alleges, and the use of knives to do this harm, then there will be proof on his body of such abuse.
but no evedence has ever been given, just allegations.
some people beleive everything that is anti-US/West and belive that anyone who makes any alegations are angels….BM is not an angel, and the people who are behind him have their own agendas
Just a few clarifications – some commenters here are getting the facts wrong:
1. BM didn’t come here illegally. He entered the country legally aged 15 with his father as a tourist. His father then dumped him and flew back to the USA alone, leaving the kid to rely on the kindness of strangers at social services. As a minor, he cannot be held culpable for his being in UK.
2. He didn’t acquire a forged passport in Pakistan. He flew there originally with a British passport belonging he says to a ‘friend’. He says he swapped his photo for that of his ‘friend’. On the way home at Karachi, an eagle eyed passport officer spotted the stamp didn’t go over the photo.
The suspicious things are – why did he go to Afghanistan? Did anyone at the mosque where he worked ‘facilitate’ his trip? Why did he enrol in a paramilitary training facility? Where was he (and who was he with) between 9/11 and the time he was picked up?
Just by way of background – it seems BM, despite his name – wasn’t brought up a Muslim. His father was a supporter of the secular atheist Marxist Mengistu regime and fled to Washington DC (how telling!) when the Marxist regime fell.
“but thay is not what he alleges. He is talking about physical violence, including cuts to his penis over several hours that resulted in him, and the room where it took place, being covered in blood.”
Some people pay good money for that.
“As a minor, he cannot be held culpable for his being in UK.”
A common method of gaining access to Britain you will find.Children are frequently dumped here,it is a good investment for the family.
“He didn’t acquire a forged passport in Pakistan. He flew there originally with a British passport belonging he says to a ‘friend’. He says he swapped his photo for that of his ‘friend'”
Lets call it a faked passport then.Still illegal,probably enough to get most of us imprisoned.
Garden Trash:
“but thay is not what he alleges. He is talking about physical violence, including cuts to his penis over several hours that resulted in him, and the room where it took place, being covered in blood.”
Some people pay good money for that.
Garden Trash | 16.03.09 – 10:15 pm | #
my what a mucky mind you have…..the best mind have in my :add_smilie(“8)”)
javascript:add_smilie(“8)”)
Re: Binyan Mohammed
I’m sure what he was doing in Afghanistan was not of the legal variety, but if he’s a free man now then the British intelligence cannot consider him a big threat to national security. I’d rather they forgot about him and focus on the real terror ists hiding among the mainstream muslim population in Great Britain.
I would hope MI5 would be infiltrating mosques to stamp out the radicals from the off.
Keith
I very much doubt that our MI5 are treating Binyan as a nonentity
Littlejohn sums it up nicely too:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1162520/RICHARD-LITTLEJOHN-Share-pain-No-woman-doesnt-deserve-penny.html
Apologies for gong into the subject and not the BBCs handling of it but compare and contrast:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/5005722/Why-are-the-Gurkhas-still-waiting.html
Out with the bastard, back to Ethiopia NOW!
BBC’s response to a complaint about the wall to wall coverage of this creep:
Thank you for your e-mail.
I understand you were unhappy about the BBC interviewing Binyam Mohamed; that you felt this was an indication that the BBC was sympathising with Mr Mohamed, and that the occurrence of such an interview was a disgrace.
Part of our role as an impartial observer is to report a wide range of views on a particular topic. The BBC makes no editorial comment or judgement on the views expressed by contributors to our programmes and our aim is simply to provide enough information for viewers and listeners to be better informed, and to make up their own minds about a subject.
Far from losing objectivity or showing sympathy, within a democratic society the BBC would be failing in its duty if it didn’t discuss this story or seek to explore and understand events and the views of those directly involved.
Although some people may believe that we should not allow certain groups or individuals to air their views, we feel that it’s better to include many viewpoints wherever possible. This may include hearing opinions which you personally disagree with but which individuals may be fully entitled to hold in the context of legitimate debate.
We hope such an approach will be more likely to provide the public with access to differing perspectives on a subject and to help explain its proper context. We certainly understand that there is always room for debate about particular judgements, but the principles are pretty clear. To depart from them would open the BBC to justified complaint, and would eventually undermine the public’s trust in our reporting and programming as a whole.
Nevertheless, I would like to assure you that we’ve registered your comments on our audience log. This is the internal report of audience feedback we compile daily for all programme makers, news teams, and senior management within the BBC. The audience logs are important documents that can help shape decisions about future programming and content and ensure that your points, and all other comments we receive, are circulated and considered across the BBC.
Thanks again for contacting us.
Regards
Stuart Webb