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Thursday, December 24, 2009 LONDON: Britain's flagship Muslim organization on Wednesday attacked a government pledge to reform a war crimes law used to try to arrest visiting Israeli dignitaries, saying the move could hurt Britain's image in the Middle East.The Muslim Council of Britain said it was "deeply disappointed" that the country's foreign minister, David Miliband, promised to change the law so that judges could no longer issue secret arrest warrants against Israeli officials or military officers, saying the move was biased toward Israel."You appear to be committing the government to the path of selective compliance with the enforcement of international law," the council's Secretary General Muhammad Abdul Bari wrote in a letter to Miliband. "This is surely not in the best interests of our country as it will add a further dimension to the double standards that our government is seen to have in relation to the politics of the Middle East....

Thursday, December 24, 2009 LONDON: The Government will consider changing the law to ensure Israeli politicians can enter the UK without fear of arrest, Harriet Harman confirmed yesterday. The Commons Leader made the promise after a British court issued an arrest warrant for former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni at the weekend. Foreign Secretary David Miliband also backed calls for legal reforms, saying it was vital that senior figures from Israel could visit the UK and have a 'proper dialogue'. Miss Harman told MPs yesterday 'We should be in no doubt that it's important for Israel's leaders to be able to talk to Government ministers in this country. They are important strategic partners.' Her pledge followed a warning from the Israeli government that without changes to the law Britain would cease to have a major role in the Middle East peace process. The warrant against Miss Livni, now the Israeli opposition leader, was apparently granted by a London cour...

Friday, August 21, 2009 LONDON: Four British Bangladeshi men have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in the supply of class A drugs in Slough, Berkshire, England. They were among 36 people charged with drugs offences after one of the largest pre-planned intelligence-led drugs operations held by Thames Valley Police. The members of a London-based gang, known as the 'Naz Network', were jailed for their involvement in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine in the town using a network of hire cars. They were sentenced in Reading Crown Court on Aug 12. Code-named Operation Chester, the crackdown included a series of drugs raids at homes in Slough in July 2008, aimed at disrupting suspected major drugs networks operating in the area. Of the four British Bangladeshis sentenced in the case, Tauseef Ahmed, 24, of Spackmans Way, Chalvey, was jailed for two-and-a-half years for conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin. Akik Miah, 25, of Duckett Street, London, was jailed ...

Monday, August 17, 2009 LONDON: Prime Minister Gordon Brown affirmed Britain's commitment to Afghanistan Sunday, on a weekend in which roadside bombs killed five more soldiers, pushing the U.K. death toll past 200.The grim milestone has reignited debate about the heavy human cost of a conflict the government claims is vital to defeating terrorism but that critics say is unwinnable.The Ministry of Defense said three soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers died after they were attacked while on patrol Sunday near Sangin in Helmand Province. They brought Britain's death toll in the country to 204.Two other British soldiers died Saturday.Brown said it had been "a very difficult summer," but insisted the troops' presence in Afghanistan was keeping Britain safe.Thirteen British troops have been killed so far in August, and 22 died in July, Britain's bloodiest month since the invasion of Afghanistan soon after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks."Thr...