~ Illuminati News ~

 
  Home
 
  Site Map
 
  Read First!!!
 
  News & Updates
 
  US Constitution
 
  The Illuminati
 
  Secret Societies
 
  New World Order
 
  Occultism
 
  Banking & Paper Money
 
  Politics
 
  Business
 
  Technology & Science
 
  Media Control
 
  UFOs & Aliens
 
  Mind Control
 
  Art & Mind Control
 
  Microchipping
 
  Drugs
 
  War on Terrorism
 
 

Manmade and Natural Disasters
 

 

Religions & Religious Wars
 

  Wars Towards a New World Order
 
  Government Patents To Control Us
 
  Surveillance
 
  Health
 
  Miscellaneous
 
  Solutions
 
  Spiritual Solutions
 
  Articles by Wes Penre
 
  Guest  Writers
 
  Archives
 
  FAQ
 
  Video & Audio Room
 
  E-Books
 
  Website on CD-ROM
 
  Links
 
  Bibliography
 
  Copyright Fair Use
 
  Disclaimer
 
  Site Search
 
  Donations
 
  Contact Webmaster
 

Last Updated:
Saturday, May 20, 2006 12:15:02 PM

 

 

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Soldiers to Get Life in Jail for Refusing to Act as Occupiers
by Gerri Peev, The Scotsman, May 19, 2006

Last Updated: Saturday, May 20, 2006 12:15:02 PM


The British Army in IraqSoldiers who object to taking part in a military occupation of a foreign country will face life in prison under measures due to be rubber-stamped in the House of Commons on Monday.

The little-noticed Armed Forces Bill will have its third reading in the Commons on Monday and left-leaning MPs are alarmed that it will legitimise pre-emptive military strikes.

It will change the definition of desertion to include soldiers who go absent without leave and intend to refuse to take part in a "military occupation of a foreign country or territory".

Under the current Army Act, desertion is defined as "going absent intending not to come back, going absent to avoid any service overseas, or going absent to avoid service when before an enemy".

Campaigners have seized on the inclusion of "military occupation" as evidence that ministers are trying to scare soldiers from objecting to future preemptive strikes - a charge denied by the Ministry of Defence.

The move comes as tensions escalate with Iran and follows a reported rise in soldiers absconding from the British Army since the invasion of Iraq.

Ben Griffin, a former SAS soldier who quit the army without facing punishment after being "appalled" at what was happening in Iraq, accused the government of changing the law ahead of any possible action in Iran.

"The government are kicking themselves in the teeth," he said. "Currently the British Army is a volunteer force, but using this sort of stick to beat soldiers into doing what they are told is turning it into a conscript army."

Mr Griffin, 28, from London, said that this would hamper morale and ultimately the effectiveness of the military.

Anti-war campaigners claim the change means it would expressly legitimise occupation and force soldiers to contravene the Nuremberg Principles, limiting their right to becoming conscientious objectors.

The Ministry of Defence has denied these charges and said that in fact the legislation introduces a new, lesser sentence of two years' imprisonment.

John McDonnell, the left-wing Labour MP, has tabled amendments to slash the maximum sentence for any desertion from life imprisonment to two years. He is also urging other MPs to throw out the new definition of desertion.

Angus MacNeil, the SNP MP who also spoke at the meeting, urged as many MPs as possible to debate the bill on Monday.

"There are a number of alarming measures in this bill that have appeared with little debate that need further scrutiny," he said.

The Ministry of Defence denied that the scope and definition was new or tougher than the existing law.

"Under current legislation the maximum penalty for all offences of desertion is life imprisonment. In most cases we have reduced this in the Armed Forces Bill to two years," a spokeswoman said.

However, where an offender deserted to avoid active service, such as the Iraq war, the maximum penalty would be applied, she said.

- - - - - -
Source: http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=742682006
- - - - - -

- - - - - - - -
Disclaimer
- - - - - - - -
 


© Copyright Illuminati News. Permission granted to re-send, post and place on web sites for non-commercial purposes, if shown with no alterations or additions. Excerpts from the article are allowed, as long as they do not distort the concept of the same article. This notice must accompany all reposting.

 


Design downloaded from FreeWebTemplates.com
Free web design, web templates, web layouts, and website resources!