Actors in Anti-Gitmo Film Detained!

[kpete]

Real-life drama for Guantanamo film stars
Email Print Normal font Large font By Vikram Dodd in London
February 22, 2006

Four actors who play al-Qaeda suspects in an award-winning British film were detained by police at London-Luton airport on their return from the Berlin Film Festival and questioned under anti-terrorism laws. Also interviewed were two of the former terrorism suspects they play on screen.

The men were returning to Britain last Thursday after the premiere of the film The Road to Guantanamo. It depicts the life of three men from Tipton, in England's West Midlands, who go to Afghanistan and end up being held for two years by the US at its military base in Cuba before being released without charge.

The film, directed by Michael Winterbottom, won the Silver Bear award for direction at the festival.

It depicts the alleged shackling, torture and other ill-treatment the Tipton prisoners claim they suffered at the hands of the Americans.

http://smh.com.au/news/world/reallife-drama-for-guantanamo-film-stars/2006/02/21/1140284067553.html
via:http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/2/21/161428/873

[Richard Steele]

1. Is it fascism YET, fer Chrissake? nm

[leveymg]

2. You can't buy publicity like that!

Just remember, there's no bad press except no press.

;)

[MADem]

5. Valid point--publicity for the film, blowback for the incompetent cops nt

[leveymg]

6. I apologize for being snarky there.

I'm sure it was a genuinely unpleasant experience. Probably a reprisal for daring to tell an honest story about a taboo subject.

[MADem]

7. Snarkiness aside, the point is indeed valid--I certainly would have not

heard of this film but for this news story, at least not at this early stage, though it apparently has won a few awards.

[Voice1]

3. The media have held back on this story for 3 days

On edit - sorry, I have that Freeper thread open in another window, I like to watch the rabid right imploding before my eyes.

Craig Murray first broke the news about this on the 18th over at www.craigmurray.co.uk

See this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x191985

Why have the media held back on this report for 3 days? And why haven't the police issued a press release on the subject? They've had 3 days to think up some excuse, it took the Met Police at least 6 days to tamper with evidence after murdering Jean Charles de Menezes though, so I guess we've got a few more days to wait.

They know they've been caught out abusing their powers, and people won't stand for it. You can find a link on that thread to contact the Bedfordshire Police Authority, i'm sure they'd appreciate as much feedback as possible.

[MADem]

4. There is NO JUSTIFICATION for this kind of rough treatment:

In a statement, Rizwan Ahmed said police swore at him and asked if he had become an actor to further the Islamic cause. He said he was at first denied access to a lawyer and was questioned by a policewoman about his views on the Iraq war.

"She asked me whether I intended to do more documentary films, specifically more political ones like The Road to Guantanamo. She asked, 'Did you become an actor mainly to do films like this; to publicise the struggles of Muslims'?"

Rizwan Ahmed alleged that he had a telephone wrestled from his hand as he tried to contact a lawyer and that he was verbally abused.

The film's co-producer, Melissa Parmenter, said the detention and questioning was outrageous.

A spokeswoman for Bedfordshire police, which patrols Luton airport, said none of the six men had been arrested. "The police officers wanted to ask them some questions under the Counter-Terrorism Act," she said.