The lifelong verdicts in the failed 21-7-2005 London bombings are in contrary with the fundamental human rights of the convicts, since no llegal distinction has been made between this attempt and an actual committed crime
According to me, this is a black page in British jurisdiction
According to me, this is a black page in British jurisdiction
Dear Editor and Readers,
Not only I was indignant about the disproportionnal life sentence-verdicts regarding the failed 21-7 London bombings,also I was shocked by the nearly unanimous British and international consent with this verdict
To protest against this and to refer to the generally acknowledged legal distinction between a crime and an attempt, I have sent underlying letter to the Editor to a number of British and international papers
Kind regards
Astrid Essed
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Letter to the Editor,
Dear Editor,
I've learnt with concern about the recent long-life imprisonment-verdict of four men, in respect with the failed terrorattacks in London, dd 21-7-2005
The argumentation of the judge, referring to the possible number of victims in a real terroristic attack, is no valid, since the horrible event didn't take place
Since the four convicted men didn't actually commit the crime, the verdict is in contrary with the principle, that distinction should be made between the actually committed crime and a failed attempt, which has caused no victims.
Ignoring this principle, is a violation of the fundamental human rights, on the ground of discrimination or unequal treatment, since the length of their conviction is as long, or longer, than real killers.
Since this verdict is a result of common British law (in contrary with a number of European and international countries, which do make the distinction between crime and attempt), also defendants, who are being accused of attempts to murder of a non-terroristic character, can be equally verdicted to long-life imprisonment
As well in the case of terrortrials, as in trials regarding ''regular'' crimes it is of the utmost importance, to act according to the principes of human rights
Is to be recommended, that the British lawsystem will be revised, making a distinction, in punishment, between an attempt and an actually committed murder
Astrid Essed
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Not only I was indignant about the disproportionnal life sentence-verdicts regarding the failed 21-7 London bombings,also I was shocked by the nearly unanimous British and international consent with this verdict
To protest against this and to refer to the generally acknowledged legal distinction between a crime and an attempt, I have sent underlying letter to the Editor to a number of British and international papers
Kind regards
Astrid Essed
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Letter to the Editor,
Dear Editor,
I've learnt with concern about the recent long-life imprisonment-verdict of four men, in respect with the failed terrorattacks in London, dd 21-7-2005
The argumentation of the judge, referring to the possible number of victims in a real terroristic attack, is no valid, since the horrible event didn't take place
Since the four convicted men didn't actually commit the crime, the verdict is in contrary with the principle, that distinction should be made between the actually committed crime and a failed attempt, which has caused no victims.
Ignoring this principle, is a violation of the fundamental human rights, on the ground of discrimination or unequal treatment, since the length of their conviction is as long, or longer, than real killers.
Since this verdict is a result of common British law (in contrary with a number of European and international countries, which do make the distinction between crime and attempt), also defendants, who are being accused of attempts to murder of a non-terroristic character, can be equally verdicted to long-life imprisonment
As well in the case of terrortrials, as in trials regarding ''regular'' crimes it is of the utmost importance, to act according to the principes of human rights
Is to be recommended, that the British lawsystem will be revised, making a distinction, in punishment, between an attempt and an actually committed murder
Astrid Essed
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Comments
Hide the following 10 comments
Attempted MASS murder
27.07.2007 07:34
Assuming these guys are guilty as charged and I haven't seen anything to convince me otherwise, I'd personally be happy to see them kept away from anything more dangerous than a plastic spoon until someone can convince me they are no longer a danger to others, be that five years or fifty.
Who cares how competent they were when their intentions were to brutally murder as many people as possible.
It's however ridiculous that this Abu Hamza is going to be seeing the light of day before they are.
cardiothoracic fistula
rules for one - rules for all
27.07.2007 09:03
Meanwhile, back on the ranch in Iraq, 650,000 dead (at least - probably MUCH more by now) and the media salivate to spill the beans of how wonderful our democratic freedoms are and the little ungrateful Iraqis have the gall to refuse our exports. Why, damn them all - we\'re trying to export our freedoms and our democracies in exchange for their oil and sovereign territory, and the bastards are fighting us. Where\'s the gratitude?
We should all get on bended knees and worship our demigods. Uh - actually, that\'s what the (free) press are already doing isn\'t it? Silly me.
I say - if the 21/7 attempted bombers get nicked for life, then Blair, Brown, Bush, Cheney, and Omert should each get the death penalty - just like Hussein. Make the fuckers swing!!
The Jackal
Britain and life sentences
27.07.2007 09:12
the law is an ass
Criminal Attempts
27.07.2007 09:18
Arthur
hi Astrid
27.07.2007 11:10
bad george
for fucks sake
27.07.2007 14:48
these people tried to kill hundreds of innocent people for fucks sake.
class war anarchist
The Jackal
27.07.2007 17:54
The politicians are the biggest terrorists for sure, but it doesn't mean the incompetent bombers aren't scum too.
Cardiothoracic Fistula
What about..
28.07.2007 05:13
I've got some books in my house... and have made many comments on indymedia .. that if prosecuted from one point of view , with the full weight of media behind could make me look like some kind of a Nelson Mandella , terrorist type of chap.
I'm not really..honest.." I believed I was doing the right thing" at the time.
daggle
Cardiothoracic Fistula
28.07.2007 07:18
In much the same way as the ANC of years gone by were Freedom Fighters against oppression, despite Blair\'s yellow chicken shit claims to the contrary, his illegal invasion of two sovereign nations and his indiscriminate slaughter of thousands is a war of occupation and oppression, and has elicited a response. I don\'t condone the crimes of the jihadis nor of the politicians, but really suggesting that the jihadis got what they deserved because they targeted innocents is naive at best ... two entire nations were filled with innocents when Blair and Bush invaded, spreading mayhem, death and destruction on an industrial scale. The two facts cannot be separated.
The Jackal
The Jackal
30.07.2007 14:15
I agree that architects and willing participants of the illegal Iraq war are criminals. Blair, Bush, Cheney, Campbell et al should be rotting in prison by now, for sure. They should be paragons of the lowest depths that (in)humanity can plumb. They should be looking at dying of old age in prison and not looking forward to a well-off retirement.
I agree that innocent victims of that war deserve justice, as do the victims of 7/7 (in the form of a real independent inquiry).
But I'll never see the day when I think that one person's murder of innocent people justifies another's.
Both are terrorist scum.
Neither has any moral defense for their actions.
Cardiothoracic Fistula