Press Release from Scotland Against Criminalising Communities 9.30am 12 November 2007 For immediate release

Aamer Anwar, Alasdair Gray and community leaders to speak on terror laws.

Public figures unite to defend civil liberties

Writer Alasdair Gray and lawyer Aamer Anwar will be amongst those speaking at a public meeting on civil liberties being held in Glasgow's Mitchell Theatre on Tuesday evening (13 November).

The meeting will bring together key figures from Scotland's cultural, community and political life to challenge the proposals for draconian new anti-terrorism measures outlined in the Queen's speech last week. The new measures include a bid to greatly extend the length of time that police can hold terrorism suspects before charging them - a move widely regarded as internment by the back door. The government has previously said that it wants to give police the power to hold terrorism suspects for up to 56 days - twice the current limit.

Asif Siddique, whose brother Mohammed Atif Siddique was recently given an 8-year jail sentence for "terrorism" as a result of his activities on the internet, will also be speaking at the meeting.

Other speakers include Rose Gentle, whose son Gordon was killed while serving in the British army in Iraq, Noman Tahir (editor of IWitness, Scotland's Muslim newspaper) and Bashir Mann, convenor of the Muslim Council of Scotland. Bashir Mann also represents the Muslim Action Committee, set up last week by the Muslim organisations of all the Glasgow mosques in order to defend lawyer Aamer Anwar, who is facing contempt of court proceedings over remarks he made on behalf of his client Mohammed Atif Siddique .

The speakers from Scotland will be joined by Doug Jewell, the former campaigns co-ordinator of Liberty. He will be speaking on behalf of the UK's Campaign Against Criminalisaing Communities (CAMPACC).

Writers Iain Banks and AL Kennedy have sent messages of support to the meeting, but are unable to be present.

Support is continuing to pour in for an open letter in support of Aamer Anwar published in the Herald last Thursday. The original signatories to the letter included Tony Benn, Moazzam Begg, Mohammad Sarwar MP, Paddy Joe Hill and Gareth Peirce. Amongst those who have added their support in the last few days are Tommy Sheridan, Bill Wilson MSP, Professor Kenneth Norrie (University of Strathclyde), Councillor Jonathan Bloch (Lib Dem, London Borough of Haringey) and Massoud Shadjareh (Chair, Islamic Human Rights Commission).

Richard Haley (on behalf of Scotland Against Criminalising Communities) More information 07936432519 or email contact@sacc.org.uk

Notes

• The meeting "Say No to the attack on Civil Liberties" will be held at 7.30pm Tuesday 13 Nov 2007 in the Mitchell Theatre, Granville Street, Glasgow (doors open 7pm). Speakers include Alasdair Gray (writer), Aamer Anwar (lawyer), Doug Jewell (CAMPACC), Carlo Morelli (UCU), Noman Tahir (Editor of IWitness, Scotland's Muslim newspaper), Bashir Mann (Convenor, Muslim Council of Scotland), Jonathan Shafi (Glasgow Stop the War Coalition) and Rose Gentle. The meeting is being organised by Scotland Against Criminalising Communities and Glasgow Stop the War Coalition.


• The open letter in defence of Aamer Anwar can be viewed at www.sacc.org.uk/defendaamer