In the case of Ryan Giggs or anyone else, if the jury were not unanimously convinced beyond reasonable doubt of the guilt of the accused, then it ought to have delivered a verdict of not guilty, which should have been an enduring verdict, affording lifelong protection from double jeopardy.
But if this ever was that country for most people, then it is certainly not now. I myself was convicted after a judge had specifically instructed a jury to "disregard" the concept of conviction beyond reasonable doubt, and then imprisoned because my enemies had been politically well enough connected to have me charged with an offence to which there was no defence, so that all that mattered was to be well enough in with the highly politicised Crown Prosecution Service.
Shamima Begum ought to be tried by a jury that, unless it were unanimously convinced beyond reasonable doubt of her guilt, ought to deliver a verdict of not guilty, which should be an enduring verdict, affording lifelong protection from double jeopardy. In the event of such a conviction, then like a 15-year-old runner for county lines, she would not be blameless, but like a 15-year-old runner for county lines, she would not be the most to blame.
Even while bombing the IS that it had created in Iraq, NATO was so committed to the victory of IS in Syria, as in principle it remains, that, via the NATO member state of Turkey, it trafficked British schoolgirls to Syria to hand over to IS. In at least one case, this 15-year-old was pregnant almost immediately, having been married so soon after her arrival that the arrangements had clearly been made in advance. Via the NATO member state of Turkey, IS fighters are now being brought in as part of NATO's side in Ukraine. Think on.
When she chose Islamic State, she renounced her citizenship of this one. Islamist fanatics have already murdered a British MP, people in Help For Heroes t-shirts, Ariana Grande concert-goers and innocent on London Bridge and on tube trains. As well as what’s happened to Salman Rushdie. We don’t need to bring more of the scum back here.
ReplyDeleteIS was "our" side in Syria. Technically, it is still is. That was why Five Eyes intelligence agencies trafficked her there.
DeleteThat’s bullshit. The Syrian war was not a binary one between IS and Assad-the Kurds also opposed Assad as did the Turkmen and numerous other groups. We specifically avoided arming IS and funnelled weapons to other rebel groups.
ReplyDeleteAnd my point stands-we don’t need more Islamist scum over here.
Oh, yes, the dear old "moderate rebels". Bless.
DeleteIf IS was not our side, then why was Canadian intelligence trafficking British girls to it?
The Kurds fought harder than anyone against IS and they also fought Assad and were persecuted under him. So yes there were many and varied rebel groups. Bless indeed.
ReplyDeleteCanadian spies say they were accompanying recruits to infiltrate and spy on IS and report back on the identities of those in it and joining it. Of course we have to await the outcome of Canada’s investigation.
Oh, puh-lease!
DeleteI have to add if we were helping IS what we’re we doing bombing them to defeat in Iraq while bombing IS and arming the Kurds to drive them out of Kobani and other Kurdish territories in Syria?
ReplyDeleteFunny kind of ally…
Quite.
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