Cageprisoners

Cageprisoners Ltd is a London-based human rights organization with an Islamic focus, whose stated aim is "to raise awareness of the plight of the prisoners at Guantánamo Bay and other detainees held as part of the War on Terror." It campaigns on behalf of Muslim prisoners, including convicted terrorists.

Its Director, Moazzam Begg, is a former Guantánamo Bay detainee who was released without charge in 2005 by President Bush over the objections of the Pentagon, the CIA, and the FBI (all of whom were concerned that Begg could still be a dangerous terrorist). Referring to 2010 Afghanistan, Begg said he completely supported the inalienable right of the people to fight "foreign occupation".

The organization has worked closely with a number of former detainees held as part of the War on Terror. It has been criticized for championing alleged senior al-Qaeda member Anwar al-Awlaki, who has been linked to various terrorists.

Stated purpose
Cageprisoners is a human rights organization whose stated aim is "to raise awareness of the plight of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and other detainees held as part of the War on Terror."

Journalist Terry Glavin wrote in The National Post that "it is a front for Taliban enthusiasts and al Qaida devotees that fraudulently presents itself a human rights group."

Among the Muslim inmates it highlights are Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, alleged 9/11 mastermind; Abu Hamza, facing extradition from the U.K. to the U.S. on terror charges; and Abu Qatada, described as Osama Bin Laden’s “European ambassador”.

Background
Its website was launched by Muslim volunteers in October 2003 during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. It is registered to a group of Muslim computer programmers based in Britain.

Its Director, Moazzam Begg is a Muslim from Birmingham, England, who was held for three years in extrajudicial detention in the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp in Cuba by the U.S. government as part of the War on Terror. He was released without charge in 2005 by President Bush over the objections of the Pentagon, the CIA, and the FBI, who alleged that Begg could be a dangerous terrorist. Begg had spoken at University College London five or six times through 2009.

Qur'an Desecration Report
In May 2005 it released "The Qur'an Desecration Report,” which contained accounts from former Guantánamo prisoners who said they experienced religious abuse as a torture tactic.

Anwar al-Awlaki
The organization developed close ties to alleged senior al-Qaeda member Anwar al-Awlaki after his release from Yemeni detention in 2007. Begg was the first to interview al-Awlaki after his release in Yemen. Al-Awlaki was invited to address Cageprisoners’ Ramadan fundraising dinners in August 2008 (at Wandsworth Civic Centre, South London; by videolink, as he is banned from the U.K.) and August 2009 (at Kensington Town Hall; the local authority told the group that it could not broadcast al-Awlaki’s words on its property). It also carries a large amount of material about and by al-Awlaki on its website.

Cageprisoners has been criticized for championing al-Awlaki, because he has been linked to al-Qaeda and various terrorists. In November 2010 Cageprisoners issued a press release on their relationship with al-Awlaki. The press release pointed out that at the time of his 18 month detention there was no reason to suspect he held radical violent views. They pointed out that he had been invited to speak at the Pentagon. They defended their support of him, as someone who had been held, without charge, for 18 months. They clarified that they did not back his newly espoused radical positions, as soon as they became aware that he was advocating attacking civilians. However, they planned to continue opposing the Obama Presidency's plan to try to kill Awlaki with a missile strike.

Amnesty International controversy
In February 2010, Amnesty International suspended one of its senior officials, Gita Sahgal, head of the organisation's Gender Unit, after she criticized Amnesty for its links with Begg and Cageprisoners. She called the links "a gross error of judgment", and said it was wrong to ally with "Britain's most famous supporter of the Taliban". Sahgal argued that by associating itself with Begg and Cageprisoners, Amnesty is risking its reputation on human rights. Salman Rushdie said: "Amnesty ... has done its reputation incalculable damage by allying itself with Moazzam Begg and his group Cageprisoners, and holding them up as human rights advocates. Journalist Nick Cohen wrote in The Observer: "Amnesty ... thinks that liberals are free to form alliances with defenders of clerical fascists who want to do everything in their power to suppress liberals, most notably liberal-minded Muslims."