Archive for June, 2017

New IRA-Libya compensation bill makes its first appearance – Belfast Newsletter

18:51 Monday 26 June 2017

A bill aimed trying to get compensation for victims of Libyan-backed IRA terror had its first reading in the House of Lords on Monday the first step on its way to potentially becoming law.

The proposer of the bill UUP peer Reg Empey said the DUP has been supportive of it, and he likewise expects support from Labour and Conservative quarters.

However, he indicated he is disappointed not to have seen some mention of any bid to attain compensation for victims of Gaddafi-sanctioned terror in Mondays deal between the DUP and Conservatives.

The bill is called the Asset Freezing (Compensation) Bill, and was introduced to the House at about 3.30pm.

Its aim is to give the UK Treasury access to an estimated sum of roughly 9.5billion, made up of assets of the former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

The money is held in the UK, and is frozen.

Gaddafi a major funder of the IRA was killed in 2011 as an uprising against him plunged his north African nation into turmoil.

Lord Empeys previous effort to pass such a bill fell due to the suspension of Parliament for the snap election.

The next reading of the new bill could come in autumn, he said.

People have to understand youve got to be persistent, he told the News Letter.

Lord Empey said he envisages that only a relatively small proportion of the estimated 9.5bn would be used to compensate IRA victims.

Longer term, he added he would like to see a fund set up to aid Gaddafis victims in the UK and Libya alike, with both governments plus western companies which have Libyan contracts paying into it.

Obviously, the biggest number of victims of Gaddafi are in Libya, he said, adding that he is not aiming for a smash and grab on the Gaddafi reserves.

However, he said he feels the Treasury is likely to oppose his bill, because they will not want to upset the reputation of the City of London as a place to bring money.

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New IRA-Libya compensation bill makes its first appearance - Belfast Newsletter

The ICC and Libya – Times of Malta

The International Criminal Court has demanded that Libya hand over former leader Muammar Gaddafis son Saif after his release by an armed militia, but it is the court, not Saif, which should be on trial.

One word tells you all you need to know about the ICC, and thats Isis. These terrorists have perpetuated the most appalling crimes in Libya, not least the ritual execution filmed and uploaded onto its website of Egyptian Coptic Christians on a beachfront two years ago. The result? No indictments from the ICC.

The ICC is a kangaroo court if ever there was one, and its pursuit of Saif smacks of politics. Consider that for years he pushed for reforms in Libya, and consider also that he commanded no military nor police units. Indeed he was not in a position to commit war crimes. And yet The Hague wants him for crimes against humanity.

As to the Saif prosecution, where is the evidence? Leaked e-mails show his role in trying to hold back the fighting in the 2011 revolution.

One of Hillary Clintons e-mails Unclassified US Department of State Case No. F-2014-20439 Doc No. C05792027 Date: 01/07/2016 Release in Part B6states:

Sent Sunday, February 27, 2011 10:10am: The moderates, led by Saif al-Islam Qaddafi favour aggressive police anti-riot tactics but are opposed to the use of deadly force. Saif is also calling for negotiations with tribal leaders in the east, including members of the former royal family.

Additionally, consider how the ICC treated Abdullah al Senussi, Gaddafi seniors former intelligence chief, who was also charged by the ICC.

However, the ICC agreed Libya could try him, and raised no objections when that trial degenerated into a free-for-all with militias guarding the courtroom and intimidating witnesses.

That Tripoli trial went from bad to farce when themilitia group Zintan, who to be fair never mistreated Saif, refused to hand him over to Tripoli. So instead, Tripoli court officials arranged for a video link with Zintan so he could be tried. That video link broke down multiple times and in the end Saif and Zintan just refused to take part. No matter; the Tripoli judges sentenced him to death, with no public evidence ever produced.

The ICC pursuit of Saif Gaddafi is a travesty of justice

Detractors argue correctly that the ICC is Africa-focused and ignores Syrians, Iraqis, Sri Lankans, Israelis, British and Americans who are deemed safe.

After all, you dont hear of the ICC considering bringing Tony Blair to justice.

Clearly, the ICC is broken. Outside legal interference by a moribund ICC is negative, and supporters of such a move are exhibiting exceedingly poor judgment.

This is not an academic matter because Saif Gaddafi, newly free and at an undisclosed location in Libya, has a part to play in ending the civil war.

The ICC pursuit of Saif is a travesty of justice. The only reason ICC judges make outrageous rulings is because it is in effect ruling against Africa; because against Africans, you can do anything without fear of a backlash.

The Hague-based bogus ICC is a dishonourable court doing dishonourable things. What a tragedy for international criminal justice.

It has been said that the ICC is a political court; a political court that must be fought politically. The ICC has nothing to do with international criminal justice. It is a kangaroo court covertly receiving direct instructions from powerful Western neocolonial powers that jokingly dont themselves accept the rulings of the ICC.

In a way, the ICC is Europes equivalent of Guantanamo Bay. A court calling itself such in name only. Its judges, prosecutors et al, should resign instead of shamelessly drawing huge salaries and engaging in outrageous, procedural, racist, illegal, unnecessary and meaningless activities, which are politically motivated.

Several newspapers, and Reuters, reported in February 2011 that Saif advocated holding back in fighting with rebels in Libya and of his hopes for a ceasefire.

Saif may well help unify Libya and bring peace to the war-riven country. Heshould be free of meddling by The Hague and Western powers to do so if he so chooses.

The US is not a party to the Rome Statute. Therefore the ICC cannot conduct investigative activities in the US nor have any real jurisdiction over its citizens except under extraordinary circumstances which to date have never occurred.

The seven countries that voted against the treaty were China, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Qatar, the US and Yemen.

Following 60 ratifications, the Rome Statute entered into force on July 1, 2002, when the International Criminal Court was formally established. The UKs position as regards the ICC is selective and ambiguous.

So in conclusion in the name of justice, the ICC must be reformed and restructured, because it is there where the core problem lies.

Richard Galustian is a British political and security advisor based in MENA countries for nearly 40 years.

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The ICC and Libya - Times of Malta

Libya, Sudan, Somalia hard hit as US top court partially lifts Trump’s travel ban – africanews


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Libya, Sudan, Somalia hard hit as US top court partially lifts Trump's travel ban
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Libya, Sudan, Somalia hard hit as US top court partially lifts Trump's travel ban - africanews

Black Lives Matter Demonstrators Briefly Halt 2017 Twin Cities Pride Festival in Minnesota – The Root

A Black Lives Matter Die-In at the Twin Cities Pride Festival in Minneapolis (@susanelizabethl via Twitter)

Black Lives Matter demonstrators briefly halted the 2017 Twin Cities Pride Festival this past weekend in downtown Minneapolis, upset over the inclusion of police officers in the parade in the wake of the acquittal of a Minnesota police officer in the shooting death of Philando Castile.

Thousands of people were gathered along the parade route on Hennepin Avenue on Sunday morning when the parade came to a halt as Black Lives Matter demonstrators jumped in front of the lead vehicle, which happened to be a police car, according to a local CBS affiliate.

Marchers stopped at every intersection and delayed the parade for an hour, speaking into a mobile microphone and speaker, demanding that police officers be removed from the parade. They followed with a staged die-in, as well as a moment of silence for people who have been affected by police violence, as the crowd looked on.

The demonstrators were upset that organizers decided to include police officers in the parade so soon after St. Anthony, Minn., Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted for the July 2016 killing of Castile, a black motorist.

After an hour of delays, the parade proceeded as planned, and Dot Belstler, executive director of Twin Cities Pride, told CBS that she didnt see anything wrong with the protest disrupting the parade.

People are allowed to protest; its great, and I think people were really respectful of that, and now its time for a parade, Beltsler said.

Read more at CBS.

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Black Lives Matter Demonstrators Briefly Halt 2017 Twin Cities Pride Festival in Minnesota - The Root

‘Black Lives Matter’ cases: What happened after controversial police killings – CNN

Where: Falcon Heights, Minnesota

What happened: St. Anthony police Officer Jeronimo Yanez pulled Castile over during a traffic stop. Castile told the officer he had a firearm on him, which he was permitted to carry. Castile reached for something and Yanez shot him five times. During the Facebook Live video, Castile's girlfriend said he was reaching for his license; the officer later said he thought Castile was reaching for his gun.

The outcomes: Yanez was acquitted of second-degree manslaughter, but the city of St. Anthony settled with Castile's mother for $3 million.

"The settlement will be paid through the City's coverage with the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust. No taxpayer monies from the City of St. Anthony Village will be used to fund this settlement," a joint statement from the city and the Castile family said.

By reaching a settlement, the Castile family and St. Anthony avoid "a federal civil rights lawsuit which may have taken years to work its way through the courts exacerbating the suffering of the family and of the community," the statement said.

Date of death: April 29, 2017

Where: Balch Springs, Texas

What happened: Officers responded to a house party after reports of underage drinking. Police spotted a car leaving with five people inside.

Officer Roy Oliver fired into the car with a rifle, fatally shooting Jordan, who was sitting in the front passenger seat.

Police Chief Jonathan Haber initially said the car had been moving "aggressively" toward officers. Later, Haber corrected himself and said body camera footage showed the car was driving forward -- away from the officers.

Date of death: July 5, 2016

Where: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

What happened: Sterling was selling CDs outside a convenience store when police received a call of a man with a gun. Cellphone video showed police tackling Sterling and pinning him to the ground before Sterling was shot. Police said Sterling was reaching for a gun.

But Sterling's death has sparked change in the city. Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome said $2 million will be spent securing body cameras for the entire police force. On top of that, the city's police training manual will be revised, and officers will receive training in implicit bias, the mayor said.

Date of death: April 4, 2015

Where: North Charleston, South Carolina

As Scott ran away from the officer, a witness captured video of Slager shooting Scott several times in the back.

In exchange for his guilty plea on one of the federal counts -- punishable by up to life in prison -- two other federal charges and state charges were dropped.

Scott's death also led to a statewide change: the South Carolina Legislature passed a bill mandating the use of police body cameras.

Date of death: February 26, 2012

Where: Sanford, Florida

What happened: Martin was walking from a convenience store back to the home of his father's fiance. Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman spotted him from his car and called 911, reporting "a real suspicious guy."

A scuffle broke out, but there were no direct witnesses. Zimmerman claimed Martin attacked him, hitting him in the nose and knocking him onto the pavement. Zimmerman said he then took out his gun and shot Martin in self defense.

But critics said Zimmerman was unjustified in confronting the unarmed teen, especially since Zimmerman didn't heed a police dispatcher's advice to stop following him.

Date of death: July 17, 2014

Where: New York City

The New York Police Department prohibits the use of chokeholds.

Garner, who had asthma, repeatedly said, "I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" while several officers restrained him on the ground. Police said he suffered a heart attack and died en route to a hospital.

The outcomes: A grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo, sparking protests and "die-ins."

Garner's death also spurred a new protest slogan: "I can't breathe," some of the last words Garner said before he died. Several professional athletes wore shirts saying "I can't breathe" in silent protest.

Date of death: August 9, 2014

Where: Ferguson, Missouri

What happened: Brown was walking with a friend in the middle of a street when Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson approached them and told them to walk on the sidewalk.

After that, the narratives split. Authorities said Brown attacked the officer in his car and tried to take his gun. Other witnesses said the teenager was surrendering, his hands in the air to show he was unarmed, when the officer opened fire.

Documents showed that Wilson fired his gun 12 times.

The outcomes: A grand jury decided not to indict Wilson -- leading to heated and sometimes violent protests in Ferguson and across the country.

The Justice Department found that "many officers" apparently viewed some of the city's black residents "less as constituents to be protected than as potential offenders and sources of revenue."

Date of death: April 19, 2015, seven days after he was injured

Where: Baltimore

Officers handcuffed Gray and put him in a police van. At some point, Gray suffered a fatal spinal cord injury. He died seven days later.

The outcomes: Six Baltimore police officers, including three black and three white officers, were charged in connection with Gray's death.

The settlement did not "represent any judgment" on whether the officers were guilty or innocent, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said.

"This settlement represents an opportunity to bring closure to the Gray family, the community and the city."

CNN's Jennifer Henderson contributed to this report.

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'Black Lives Matter' cases: What happened after controversial police killings - CNN