First, from Keith Olbermann…
Second, regarding what is and is not deemed torture.
Last night I revisited the film In The Name Of The Father, the true story of Gerry Conlon and the Guildford Four and Maguire Seven. The film is based on Conlon’s autobiography entitled Proved Innocent, which I highly recommend.
For those of you that don’t know the story, the Guildford Four were the first people detained under the prevention of terrorism act. This act allowed the British government to detain suspects for seven days and nights without charging them. All four were arrested in connection with the Guildford Pub bombings, though none of them had anything to do with it and the evidence against them was based on little more than hearsay and the fact that they were Irish. Paul Hill, Patrick Armstrong, and Carole Richardson were arrested in England. Gerry Conlon, who had returned to Belfast, was arrested at his parent’s house and then flown to England.
During the seven days that all four were held they endured complete sleep deprivation, constant and highly abusive interrogation – which was denied by authorities at their trial – and were threatened, such as Paul Hill having a gun put in his mouth and Conlon finally agreeing to sign a confession after one of his interrogators threatened to shoot his father.
After being charged, seven members of Conlon’s family were also arrested and subjected to the same treatment, among them Patrick Maguire, then only 14. All those charged in connection with Guildford were found guilty and sentenced to various jail terms. Some time later the actual IRA bombers would be apprehended and, during interrogation, admit to being responsible for Guildford. The reaction of the British government was to do nothing and kept those that they had wrongfully imprisoned in jail.
All of that said, if you watch the film or read the book, I defy you to claim that what Conlon was subjected to was not torture.
August 11, 2008 13 Comments