Civil libertarians angered by police website

Civil liberties campaigners have attacked a new Crimestoppers website that encourages Canberrans to help police solve crimes.

The website displays mugshots of wanted criminals, CCTV images of people who police want to contact because they have witnessed crimes, and a secure information line to police.

Bill Rowlings from Civil Liberties Australia says that invades the privacy of innocent bystanders.

"It's not reasonable if you are walking down the street or going on a bus or going about your business that suddenly you are plastered all over a website by the police when you have done nothing wrong," he said.

"They can generally appeal for witnesses, people know whether they were near an event or a crime or whatever."

But Police Minister Simon Corbell says the website obeys all federal laws, and privacy does not automatically trump competing concerns.

Civil liberties are very important and protection of people's privacy is a very important consideration but that does need to be balanced against broader public interest in solving crime and achieving a safe community.

Police say they hope the website will lead to more arrests.

Howard accused of war crimes

A legal brief has been sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging former prime minister John Howard committed a war crime by sending troops to Iraq.

An alliance of peace activists, lawyers, academics and politicians is behind the brief, organised by the ICC Action group in Melbourne.

Organiser Glen Floyd says Mr Howard should be held accountable for sending troops to a war not sanctioned by the United Nations.

"We have produced a 52-page brief of evidence which states to the chief prosecutor of the criminal court that we allege John Howard's actions are war crimes under article 8 of the Rome Statute," he said.

Democrats Senator Lyn Allison says the legal brief sent to the ICC is justified.

Senator Allison, who is one of several eminent people supporting the move, says accountability is important.

"This action has been taken to hold those accountable for their action, so it's essentially our prime minister - he was the one at the time [who] was the executive of government, made the decision," she said.

'It wasn't put to the Parliament and as we all know, it turned out to be unjustified."

A similar brief has been sent by a group from the United Kingdom regarding former prime minister Tony Blair. The United States is not a signatory to the court.

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No combat deaths for the quiet imperialists
If lethal memes, death and destruction are an achievement then we don't account for all those related deaths below. The illegal and degrading war and crimes against humanity committed on Iraq for their oil resources should now be dealt with as soon as possible. Those responsible or who collaberated should be committed to face the war criminal court - to account for those who were tortured, maimed or killed in that war on Iraq unnecessarily, because of the pre-emptive strike on that sovereign nation.

'Charge Howard with war crimes'
FORMER Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has called for ex-prime minister John Howard and other Western leaders to be charged with war crimes over the conflict in Iraq.

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We, the undersigned, called for the indictment and prosecution of John Winston Howard (currently Australian Prime Minister) for acts of terrorism and war crimes.

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"News that's not known, or not known enough."

-- IN IRAQ --

30,000 IRAQI TROOPS KILLED
and 90,000 SERIOUSLY INJURED Aug. 2003

785,957 IRAQI CIVILIANS KILLED
and 1,414,723 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

3,615 U.S. TROOPS KILLED
and 50,677 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

287 OTHER COALITION TROOPS KILLED
and 861 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

160 U.S. CIVILIANS KILLED
and 288 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

251 OTHER COALITION CIVILIANS KILLED
and 452 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

-- IN AFGHANISTAN --

8,587 AFGHAN TROOPS KILLED
and 25,761 SERIOUSLY INJURED July 2004

3,485 AFGHAN CIVILIANS KILLED
and 6,273 SERIOUSLY INJURED July 2004

342 U.S. TROOPS KILLED
and 1,026 SERIOUSLY INJURED Jan. 2007

278 OTHER COALITION TROOPS KILLED
and 834 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

? U.S. and COALITION CIVILIANS KILLED
and ? SERIOUSLY INJURED

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IT'S ALL ABOUT OIL!
In 1998, Dick Cheney, now US vice-president but then chief executive of a major oil services company, remarked: "I cannot think of a time when we have had a region emerge as suddenly to become as strategically significant as the Caspian." But the oil and gas there is worthless until it is moved. The only route which makes both political and economic sense is through Afghanistan.

Haneef case human rights concerns: lawyer

The lawyer who represented former Gold Coast doctor Mohamed Haneef has told a Law Society function in Darwin that the case raises serious questions about aspects of Australia's legal system.

Mohamed Haneef was arrested and charged because he gave a mobile phone SIM card to a relative, who later launched a terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) drew on special laws that had never been used before to hold and question Dr Haneef without laying charges.

His lawyer, Stephen Keim, says these specials laws raise serious questions about human rights.

"Detention without charge for 12 days in respect to a case that was sufficiently without substance, to be discontinued at the behest of a Commonwealth Senior Prosecutor, raises questions about the minimal human right content of the law as it relates to criminal investigation," he said.

He says the secrecy surrounding the case went against the principles of justice.

Mr Keim says lawyers were afraid to give journalists even basic details about the case, which made it difficult for open and impartial justice.

"The legislation does not prescribe or proscribe open hearings, the hearings were however conducted in an air of secrecy such as the parties to the hearing felt constrained about telling journalists the identity of the magistrate hearing the case and making the orders," he said.

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AFP colluded with Andrews: Haneef lawyer
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Secret policemen's bill: $7.5m
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Tough police powers outlive APEC
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UN Torture Committee Blasts Australia
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Habib mistreated but not in Aussie embassy
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