Background:
• Ahmed Belbacha, a 36 year old Algerian lived in the UK for two and a half years from 1999 to 2001. He lived in Bournemouth and worked in hotels where he won awards and praise for his work, including a large tip and handwritten note from former deputy prime minister, John Prescott.
• Ahmed is a talented footballer and played professionally in Algeria.
• In 2001, he left the UK to visit Afghanistan for six months and had a return ticket to the UK.
• He disappeared there and his family had no news from him for over two years until 2004 when the Red Cross wrote to inform them that he was in Guantánamo Bay.
• In February 2007, he was cleared for release from Guantánamo Bay by the Pentagon and deemed to pose no threat at all.
• In July 2007, the Algerian authorities said that it was prepared to take back 7 of its nationals held in Guantánamo Bay, including Ahmed Belbacha. If returned to Algeria, he faces either being jailed and tortured by the Algerian government or being released and facing threats to his life from Islamists. If returned to Algeria, Ahmed’s life will be in grave danger.
• He currently faces the prospect of being returned to Algeria any day. Lawyers for Ahmed are trying to block his return to Algeria.

Take action!
Time is running out for Ahmed Belbacha: write to the American authorities and tell them not to return Ahmed to Algeria. Write to the American Secretary of State and the American Secretary of Defence, as well as the American ambassador in London. Write to them to ensure that they act now. Please state that:

• Ahmed Belbacha faces serious dangers if sent back to Algeria, both from the Algerian government and Islamic extremists
• Diplomatic assurances from Algeria are worthless, given its past history of abuse of human rights
• The United States cannot deliver people from Guantánamo to torture and abuse – that only makes the problem of Guantánamo worse.

Please send your letters immediately to:
The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State,
Department of State,
2201 C Street, N.W., Washington DC 20520, USA
Fax: +1 202 261 8577
E-mail:  Secretary@state.gov
Salutation: Dear Secretary of State

The Honorable Robert Gates
Secretary of Defense,
1000 Defense Pentagon,
Washington DC 20301, USA
Fax: +1 703 697 8339
Salutation: Dear Secretary of Defense

His Excellency Mr Robert Tuttle,
Embassy of the United States,
24 Grosvenor Square,
London W1A 1AE.
Website:  http://www.usembassy.org.uk

Also write to the British Home and Foreign Secretaries to demand that they allow Ahmed Belbacha to return to the UK, which is a viable alternative for him.

Please state that:
• Ahmed Belbacha lived in the UK peacefully for 2 ½ years.
• He has been cleared for release by the Americans and there are no charges against him. He is not deemed to pose a threat.
• The British government can take action to help a resident. A precedent lies in the return of Bisher Al-Rawi in March 2007.
• Ahmed Belbacha faces imminent danger to his life if returned to Algeria.

Please send your letters immediately to:
Rt. Hon. Jacqui Smith MP
Home Secretary
The Home Office,
50 Queen Anne’s Gate,
London, SW1 9AT
Fax: 020 7219 4815
Email:  smithjj@parliament.uk

Rt. Hon. David Miliband MP
Foreign Secretary,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
King Charles St,
London SW1A 2AH

London Guantánamo Campaign
30 July 2007