Public Outcry as UK Government Agrees to Pay Millions to Guantanamo Bay Detainees

In what can only be described as a highly controversial move, the government in the UK has agreed to pay out millions of pounds in compensation to approximately 12 men who were detained at the terrorist camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, and who have begun cases in the High Court against the UK for the treatment that they received.

It is also rumoured that one of these men is due to receive more than £1 million ($1.5 million) alone.

The men are all either British citizens or residents, and are accusing British security forces of being involved in their torture while overseas. At least six of them are claiming that British forces tortured them before they arrived at Guantanamo Bay.

This morning a written statement regarding the out-of-court settlement was due to be released, however the Ministry of Justice withdrew it, because there was some concern as to whether a written statement was adequate for an issue of this magnitude.

The reason for the settlement by the Government is thought to be that they did not want to have British intelligence services investigated,

The High Court ruled in May that the "secret evidence" was not enough for the Government to defend itself, and in July ordered the release of around 500,000 documents that were related to the case.

Over 60 officials and Government lawyers have been working on these documents, and the settlement was reached after a long period of negotiation.

Naturally it is better from a security viewpoint that the Government pays out millions to prevent a lot of secret MI5 and MI6 documents from leaking out, and to expose state secrets.

However, at a time when there are many cutbacks in the UK and thousands of public sector workers are about to lose their jobs, it doesn't look good to see millions of pounds paid out to men who were involved in terrorist organisations.

It should not matter at all that these men are British citizens or residents, and although no data is available to the author at this time, it is unlikely that any of these men were actually born in the UK, or that they are loyal to the UK, and yet they are being given more rights than those whose families have lived in the UK for generations.

The fact that they were picked up in Iraq or Pakistan under suspicious circumstances and were almost certainly involved in terrorist activity, justifies their detainment and questioning.

Following such a horrific attack as took place on 9-11, and the threat of further terrorist attacks on western countries, extreme measures have to be taken, and if that meant the torture of suspects, then so be it, even though this is not treatment that would normally be expected.

But to award them such large amounts of money, with £1 million being more than most British workers will earn in a lifetime, that is likely to have the same reaction as waving a red rag at a bull.

So is this payout justified, or is it wrong? Should the Government have held out and risked the exposure of the secret service? Please leave a comment and let your voice be heard.

Sources:

BBC News