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17/07/2003
Blair under fire to secure fair trial for UK captives
Tony Blair flies into Washington today to meet with US President George Bush in a summit that could see the PM come under pressure to secure a fair trial for two UK citizens currently held at Guantanamo Bay under charges of suspected terrorism.
Moazzam Begg (35) and Feroz Abbasi (23) have been detained at the Guantanamo Bay penal compound, charged with membership of terrorist group al-Qaeda. Both men are facing trial by military tribunal and if convicted, could face the death penalty.
The Government has been in talks with US authorities over the return of the two Britons for several weeks prior to today's meeting, and over 200 MPs have signed a Parliamentary motion pressing for the repatriation of the two men, following concerns that they will be denied a fair trial under US law.
Sources from the White House have indicated there is a possibility that the Britons could be extradited back to the UK, as Tony Blair prepares to address US Congress on the importance of transatlantic relations between the two countries.
Also casting a shadow over today's proceedings will be the continued fallout from disputed British intelligence which claimed Saddam Hussein was attempting to boost his weapons capabilities by securing uranium from Niger.
President Bush reiterated the alleged findings of the intelligence in his State of the Union address and the White House has since admitted that the claims have yet to be substantiated.
Mr Blair was due to receive an accolade from Congress during the current visit but the ceremony has since been postponed until this autumn, due to what has been described as "organisational" difficulties.
(CL)
Moazzam Begg (35) and Feroz Abbasi (23) have been detained at the Guantanamo Bay penal compound, charged with membership of terrorist group al-Qaeda. Both men are facing trial by military tribunal and if convicted, could face the death penalty.
The Government has been in talks with US authorities over the return of the two Britons for several weeks prior to today's meeting, and over 200 MPs have signed a Parliamentary motion pressing for the repatriation of the two men, following concerns that they will be denied a fair trial under US law.
Sources from the White House have indicated there is a possibility that the Britons could be extradited back to the UK, as Tony Blair prepares to address US Congress on the importance of transatlantic relations between the two countries.
Also casting a shadow over today's proceedings will be the continued fallout from disputed British intelligence which claimed Saddam Hussein was attempting to boost his weapons capabilities by securing uranium from Niger.
President Bush reiterated the alleged findings of the intelligence in his State of the Union address and the White House has since admitted that the claims have yet to be substantiated.
Mr Blair was due to receive an accolade from Congress during the current visit but the ceremony has since been postponed until this autumn, due to what has been described as "organisational" difficulties.
(CL)
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