Okay, first diary entry here, so apologies if it's a complete mess. Just thought you'd be 'reassured' to know that the U.S. is not the only country that feels their security services can backpack across Europe, torturing people.
From "The Australian" (http://www.news.com.au/...):
"The British Government has tried to block the naming of a spy alleged to have orchestrated the torture of London bombing suspects in Greece.
The Government issued a warning to media organisations yesterday after a leading Greek newspaper identified the MI6 officer and 15 Greek agents, alleging they took part in the arrest and abuse of 28 Pakistan-born detainees arrested in connection with the July 7 bombings in London."
More after the thing...
Torture, you say? Well, that's just not cricket!
"The newspaper Proto Thema named the British officer as the MI6 station chief in Athens. It said he and another British agent took part in the interrogation of some suspects, who said they had been blindfolded and held in secret. One claims to have had a gun forced into his mouth."
Apparently the story's whipping up a storm over in Greece, not helped by the British Government's own gag order and earlier claims by Foreign Secretary Jack Straw that such reports were 'complete nonsense.'
I know that Globalization means we're supposed to have a borderless world, but I'm pretty sure noone had this in mind.
Still, this doesn't stop the Foreign Office from using the holiday season to join in the festive righteousness: (http://www.fco.gov.uk/...)
"The EU has been following closely the trial of Mr Ayman Nour, leader of Egypt's opposition Al-Ghad Party, since his arrest in February 2005.
The EU expresses concern that Mr Nour has been convicted and sentenced to five years in prison.
This verdict sends negative signals about democratic political reform in Egypt. The EU expects that any appeal application by Mr Nour will be looked at fairly by the Egyptian Courts."
Thank god our moral authority's still intact...