Updated: PN criticises Labour's vote on Guantanamo prisoners

Edric Micallef Figallo

Feb 7th 2009, 11:20

"The PN's MEPs behaviour showed the conservative and rightist identiy of the PN which consistently voted with the right wing parties in the European Parliament."

Oh how shameful for PN to vote in such a manner. Obama made political mileage out of this question in the USA and he ditches his problems on Europe with the applause of the PSE and PL! Onwards to progressivism!

Well done to PN's MEPs, labels aside it is the substance that counts here. Labour's substance is voting for the potential presence of suspect people just to make their beloved Obama happy, as if recent illegal migrant riots weren't enough.

PN MEPs, though europhile without a doubt unlike many on the Labour side, have voted for retaining national control on certain questions whilst Labour MEPs voted otherwise. That is the central truth here and not the closure or not of Guantanamo prison. The latter is an American problem to start with. I guess with Obama in power this staġun politiku ġdid Labour wants to place Obama's agenda ahead of Malta's under some other supposedly lofty pretence.

I'd rather be "right-wing" and "conservative", than voting like the Labour MEPs did.

P.Zammit

Feb 7th 2009, 10:23

The US was concerned so much about these terrorists that it did not host them in the US but in Guantanmo, CUBA! Now that they want to close the place because of international pressure they dont want to host them all in the US, again because of national security and nothing else. Its not like they dont have the space or the money to host them.

So the US hosts them in CUBA and Call me Joseph votes to get some of them at Corradino Correctional facility. What happens is some escape, what happens if other terrorists is kidnap Maltese citizies in favour of the release of these criminals. What happens if terrorists come to Malta and plant bombs around.

Joseph Muscat, MLP MEPs, dont come for our vote during MEP elections. You need to be taught a lesson for betraying Malta and all the Maltese. You have put pary affaris before Malta citizens. You need the lesson. Vote for any other independent or PN candidate in the MEP elections, dont vote for parties that have betrayed us.

P.Zammit

Feb 7th 2009, 10:00

All the Call me Jospeh apologists, will cover for Call me Joseph for whatever he and his MEP sheep do, even if this goes against the interest of Malta. Whoever is saying that since we are not in NATO we need not accept these terrorist. Boohoo then why did we (you anti-Malta) vote in favour of it in the first place. You do not know what you are saying!

The other Lorenzo playing I know it all, Mr Lorenzo, I dont care if Guantanmo is illegal or not, it is not the point here, cant you understand what the argument is ? Who cares if you have been following this since 2001, The fact is, we do not want such criminals in Malta and risk national security!

What about the labourites who have been complaining about the illegal immigrants ? And now they vote to bring not just immigrants but terrorists ? You are not seeing beyond your noses. As long as call me joseph endorsed this, you will endorse it. The MLP has betrayed Malta and you defend the MLP, making you no better than the MLP did. What happend to Malta l-ewwel qabel kollox ! Mlp l-ewwel nahseb!

J.Cachia

Feb 7th 2009, 01:19

For all those who confuse the government issues and illegal immigrants, they are different matters. International laws and conventions govern immigration and such immigrants pass through a particular process to be accepted in Malta. One thing is that a person who is suspected to be a refugee can be sent back for crimes against humanity or if the security of the state is somehow jeoperdised. Thus and such person cannot stay in Malta (Refugee Act)

This is however different. We have the possibility to get such persons who may be a treath to such security of our nation and think what you may, I don't think anyone here would welcome a person who was suspected of such acts. There is the possibility that they are guilty and for me its reason enough not to accept them.

For all those who have talked about burdon sharing, we are a very small country which has very limited resources thus we cannot help or offer help like the US who is basicly self sufficent with a budget of Billions of Dollars.

There is no scope to say this is conservative or moderate etc, it plianly doesn't make sence to accept such suspected people.

Joseoh Dalli

Feb 7th 2009, 00:34

Meta ha nifhmu, li mhux dejjem trid takkwista izda xi kultant trid taghti wkoll?
Meta ha nifhmu li Malta hi parti mid-Dinja.
Ahna aktar minn haddiehor.

Barra min hekk, ghal min qed jibza li ssir xi "jihad" gewwa Malta, kif sostnu bosta tal-lemin, mhux xejn minn dan, ghax Malta ghanhda anqas restrizzjoniiet minn Pajjizi ohra ma' l-Amerika fejn tidhol Gwerra!
Kulhadd "Macho" biex ibezzgha, pero huma ftit dawk li jaghmlu xi hagam fosthom Dr.Gonzi u l-patt li ghamel dwar l-Immigrazzjoni Illegali!

Alfred Cassar

Feb 6th 2009, 22:21

Are the Labour MEP's voting in the interest of the Maltese of not?

Shame on Bedingfield, Grech and Attard Montalto. Shame on LP. They are not worth to be called Maltese. Were they afraid to vote against because of the European Socialists?

CARE how to vote next June.

Mark Piscopo

Feb 6th 2009, 21:17

Att all Bloggers:
It is a big lie that the Labour Mep voted so that we accept terrorist of Guantanamo prisoners in Malta. The Pl must make a libel to the media who issued the big lie."Il-Grupp Socjalista fil-Parlament Ewropew ivvota favur appell li jekk l-amministrazzjoni il-gdida tal-President Obama taghmel talba specifika, il-Gvernijiet Ewropej ghandhom jikkunsidraw jghinu ghal rilokazzjoni ta’ dawn il-persuni biex jigu rispettati d-drittijiet tal-bniedem, filwaqt li jikkonsultaw ma’ xulxin dwar is-sigurta’ fl-UE.

Carm Vella Diacono

Feb 6th 2009, 20:34

@ Alexande Morana

Your TV Station is stuck on Net tv mate! Muscat's vote you're referring to concerned LEGAL immigrants and not the "lill-immigranti llegali" which you've mentioned.

Try to get things right first before trying to attack Labour.

eh p.s. For all of you who are already scaring people about the so-called "religious" terrorists, there are lots of inmates who are Europeans like me and you!

Carm Vella Diacono

Feb 6th 2009, 19:54

Il-Partit Nazzjunalista really needs to step up and stop thinking that the major reason for running a political party is to win votes. Such Conservatism has ruined the Maltese mentality so far and that is the reason why we are seen as inferior when we face other Europeans in the EU! PN was first in line from Malta to express their best wishes to Obama and congratulations for his new role that would affect the entire world. Now that Obama's first issue has found itself on the EU agenda, PN is doing its best to reveal their opinion about Obama's administration without losing any votes! The time of l-Interdett is over Dear PN, we are no longer afraid of "il-babaw". @ Malcolm Seychell Your remark has confirmed to me that I should not vote to MEP's who base their campaign on attacking others during their cheap advertising tactics on such famous blogs. Besides you should really re-consider what you wrote...absolutely ridiculous. No wonder you're still supporting McCain!

L. Gauci

Feb 6th 2009, 19:26

So now we vote to accept suspected terrorists in our country. I hope that when we go to vote for our next EP's in June we will remember who has the interest of security in our country and who just votes in a partisan manner to please the europeon socialists. Shame on the PL EPs who voted against the interest of our country

Joe Vella (Mellieha.)

Feb 6th 2009, 19:25

@ Mark Piscopo and P. Schembri This is not about repatriation of the Guantanamo prisoners, but about the resettlement of the same prisoners. Repatriation and resettlement are two different things all together. Repatriation is sending someone back to the Country of origin/birth; whereas, resettlement is about settling in a country other then the country of origin/birth. Even the PL MEP own statement speaks about the RELOCATION and not REPATRIATION of the Guantanamo prisoners. Mark Piscopo and P Schembri, I think it is you two that need to read carefully and not others as you both suggested. If it was about repatriation the USA do not need no one's help. The USA knows well the Country of origin of these alleged Terrorist and is quite capable of putting them on an airplane and send them back where they belong.

Alexander Morana

Feb 6th 2009, 19:11

What we are becoming the dumping ground for misfits and runaways? Now of suspected war prisoners who nobody wants? Only the PL will do something like this just to please their lackeys in Strasburg? Tajjba din bhal ta’ meta JM ivvota biex jati il-vot lill- immigranti illegali??

A Camilleri

Feb 6th 2009, 18:55

It-terrositi zommuhom ghandkom fic-Centru tal-Hgieg tal-Hamrun u mhux titghuhom go nofsna! ISTHU... IMISSKOM TISTHU. Tant teqirdu li Gonzipn mhu jaghmel xejn biex ma jhallix immigranti jigu Malta, u issa INTOM ivvutajtu biex iggibu t-terroristi f'Malta? Dan biex tilghaqu lill xi hadd?? AHNA GHANDNA T-TFAL........ Kif ma tisthux????? Se ggibu Terroristi li kapaci joqtlu tfal u nies bla LE GHAT-TERRORIST~!!!

J Busuttil

Feb 6th 2009, 18:42

The MLP and it'apologists are wrong on this issue. If the European Socialists and Green Parties are totally wrong. The inmates at Guantanamo are suspected extreme islamic terrorists. Ex President G Bush administration kept them at Guantanamo so that the USA would not be attacked to get them free. Now the Socialists want them on European soil (including Malta) with the risk on the countries involved. The Obama Administration should have put then in USA jails or set them free to their countries. Shame on the MLP to put Malta at risk. We should all vote to keep the Socialists and Greens in a minority at the June election foe MEPs.

D. MANGION

Feb 6th 2009, 18:27

Yesterday I have written on this subject and for some reason it was not put on line. Let's try again! We Maltese are becoming more mediochre in our mentality, by the hour. Our insular mentality is finding self-glorification in expressing shamless egoism. While we expect all the world to help us in all we do, and fund every little project that we come up with, we are not ready to move one single finger to help other countries, where it really matters most. Then we have this ability to silence our concience by occasionallky sending a container or two filled with goodies for disaster areas. We all should know that the real effective solidarity, can come only when countries act on a political level. Had America not sacrificed it's boys, Europe would have turned into one big concentration camp just 60 years ago. Had the British not sent the famous Santa Maria Convoy (sacrificing priceless lives ), most of you wouldn't even be existing to write blogs. Only when we realize that all the peoples of the World are inter-dependent on each other, we will be able to escape from the chains of mediochrity that are enslaving our minds.

John Camilleri

Feb 6th 2009, 17:49

America is so large. Has so many prisons. Transfer Guantanamo to your country please Mr. Obama. We don't want terrorists in our country. It's all your business.

mario mifsud

Feb 6th 2009, 17:31

PLEASE READ ALL THE ARTICLE BEFORE COMMNENTING some people are ready at an instance to jump to erronous conclusion and some party is always ready to divert attention from more important issues this is the only thing shameful

Enzo Caruana

Feb 6th 2009, 17:11

All PN aapologists. Please show a little bit more knowledge about international affairs. In your rediness to jump at Joseph Muscat's throat you are already imagining hordes of terrorists shipped from Guantanamo to Malta. There are many EU countries who share a defence pact with the USA and this pact is called NATO. Thanks to our neutrality status we are outside NATO and as such we are not obliged to share any burdens that are tied to wars. Don't foget that the Guantanamo prisoners are prisoners of war against terror. It is up to the Nationalist government to use its clout - if it has any - with Europe and refuse having any of these prisoners on the Island. By the way, can anyone tell me how many escaped Eritrean or Somali military trained guerillas have escaped their country and landed in Malta as illegal immigrants? We know the origins of these immigrants and the Nationalist government has not done anything to send them back. I wait for your comments Gonzipn fans

J.Tonna

Feb 6th 2009, 17:00

THIS IS NOTHING BUT A MIND OPENER - SOMETHING TO REMEMBER!

Noel Barry

Feb 6th 2009, 17:00

Mark Piscopo I can assure you that I can read clearly and understand well enough. Your MEPs voted in favour of the whole resolution, while both PN MEPs voted in favour but against the clause where it is calling on all member states to accept terrorists. I think that it is your red blinkers, or is it pink now after all these years in opposition, that is driving you into the wall. But if you want a helping hand I am willing to break down this wall so that you can pass through it and maybe you too will volunteer to house one of the terrorists. And to you too Pat Muscat. The PN is not an anit American party, but if you want terrorists in your home, we do not want them here. You take them. You should be ashamed of yourself for backing this vote.

Lorenzo Vella

Feb 6th 2009, 16:55

@ P. Zammit I'm sorry to disappoint you Mr. or Mrs. Zammit however I have been following this issue since its beginning following the 2001 Terror Attacks on the US! I had also written to Amnesty International in the US to complain of why they kept their mouths shut about this camp when they were criticising the Chinese Government for torture and the death penalty. That camp is illegal and goes against both the US Constitution and basic Human Rights (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4718724.stm). So I guess now every suspect becomes guilty as charged no? Again this simply goes against the basic principle of presumption of innocence - 'innocent until proven guilty' which the US has decided to neglect! Apart from this there is also the case as mentioned by some correspondents that these individuals were taken there through rendition by means of illegal flights that supposedly passed through Europe. Anyway you have a right to your opinion and if what the UN and other human rights groups say is non sense to you, you have a right to have a closed mind!

Alex Ellul

Feb 6th 2009, 16:49

@James Micallef: The Guantanamo prisoners who were let free during the Bush administration were found later on carrying out massacres in Iraq and other countries, imagine what those who remain in Guantanamo are. So much for these prisoners being innocent. Oh I forgot. All people accused of criminal offences plead innocent. I wonder what you would say if you lost a relative on 9/11/01 in New York.

TG

Feb 6th 2009, 16:44

these comments amuse me, it makes me glad that i don't support neither PL nor PN

Carmel Camilleri

Feb 6th 2009, 16:39

@ Lorenzo Vella If the "PL finally living up to its ideals and beliefs" translates into the possibility of Malta having to host persons that stand accused of atrocious crimes against humanity and the civilised world, then I'll take a conservative, right-wing party any day, thank you very much.

M.Gauci

Feb 6th 2009, 16:38

@Mark Piscopo .....Member States to accept Guantanamo inmates in the EU. Keep the inmates at your home Mark. And at least read what you propose to us to read. Yes we have understood correctly what this resolution is about and with conviction we say that Joseph Muscat has betrayed Malta.

Wilfred L Camilleri

Feb 6th 2009, 16:38

These people were caught in terrorist camps. Ergo, they are terrorists whether or not they have been found guilty or have gone to trail! They should be imprisoned for the rest of their lives. That's the only way that they will not come back to haunt anyone.

Mark Piscopo

Feb 6th 2009, 16:33

@Noel Barry

Your blue blinkers are driving your comments and arguments to the wall. The MEP's voted for aiding in repatriation of Guantanamo prisoners. Ready carefully before writing. As usual your blue blinkers don't even let you read properly the text. Better than what the Government did on the famous pact regard the illegal immigrants.

http://www.alde.eu/en/details/news/ep-call-for-resettlement-of-guantanamo-prisoners/

Michael Gatt

Feb 6th 2009, 16:31

Proset PL trid turi li vera temmen fdak li tejd. Proset tassew

P.Zammit

Feb 6th 2009, 16:30

@Pat Muscat.
It's a shame the PL has become an anti-patria party !

Mark Piscopo

Feb 6th 2009, 16:30

I agree fully with Lorenzo Vella. A very clear description about the matter.

P.Zammit

Feb 6th 2009, 16:28

@Lorenzo Vella

You don't know what you are talking about my dear.

P.Schembri

Feb 6th 2009, 16:27

@All. The MEP's voted for aiding in repatriation of Guantanamo prisoners. Ready carefully before writing. As usual your blue blinkers don't even let you read properly the text. Better than what the Government did on the famous pact regard the illegal immigrants.

http://www.alde.eu/en/details/news/ep-call-for-resettlement-of-guantanamo-prisoners/

Muscat.Pat

Feb 6th 2009, 16:24

It is a shame that the PN has become an anti-American Party!

Lorenzo Vella

Feb 6th 2009, 16:20

Some of these comments are plainly hilarious! The PL is finally living up to its ideals and beliefs and then you find a bunch of right-wing extremists like the majority of the contributors below who try to ridicule this decision! As I said yesterday, these inmates are not criminals and definitely not terrorists as yet because they never had the opportunity of being tried infront of a legitimate court. Some of them are Europeans and Canadians who decided to fight against the American invasion in Iraq and Afghanistan - is there something wrong with that? They are prisons of war and prisoners of war should be immediately released after a military conflict has stopped! However the US decided to once again neglect human rights and a bunch of international conventions and lock them up for an indefinite period of time!

I think we should be proud that the Labour MEPs contributed towards the strengthening of democracy in the world unlike the half-hearted effort of the Nationalist MEPs who opportunistically voted in favour of this motion as a whole but wanted to destroy it by removing this clause. Prosit again Louis, John and Glenn!

Noel Barry

Feb 6th 2009, 16:20

To all you MLP bloggers. If you want them here keep them in your own homes. We do not want them. Frist you criticize our PM for doing nothoing on illegal immigrants now what you MEPs did seems to be correct. SHAME SHAME SHAME.
JOANNA FARRUGIA. - What has ST got to do with this. Is it the goverments fault that this recession happened. Why don't you volunteer yourself and keep one of the terrorists in your home. You should all admit that this was disgusting and shameful. You can say what you like but what has been done is recorded and written on black and white. By voting for your MEPs in June it means that you are in favour of what they did. Shame on you.

M.Gauci

Feb 6th 2009, 16:15

@Eric Saliba. You are most welcome to host these terrorist at your home. We have a right to criticise your beloved Joseph and the merry PL. With that vote you (the PL) have betrayed Malta. This is disgusting.

Do you know what this can mean to Malta. Say we get a couple of terrorists here and their families kidnap a Maltese person in return of the terrorists. These things happen often between terrorists in Israeli prisons !

How labour can you be to pool in for Joseph even when he is so disgustingly wrong!

P.Schembri

Feb 6th 2009, 15:36

@All. The MEP's voted for aiding in repatriation of Guantanamo prisoners. Ready carefully before writing. As usual your blue blinkers don't even let you read properly the text. Better than what the Government did on the famous pact regard the illegal immigrants.

eric saliba

Feb 6th 2009, 15:33

this is just another excuse to bash joseph muscat and the PL.
have you all already ( and conveniently ) forgotten about the optional burden sharing agreement signed by gonzipn?? that is where the real problem lies !!
as if we will ever get burdened with gitmo inmates !!!

joanna farrugia

Feb 6th 2009, 15:26

@Joseph Mifsud if pl host them as you said may i suggest that pn host 450 workers of st plus the rest who before the elec he send a letter assuring them that their jobs are secured???

S Cassar

Feb 6th 2009, 15:26

Tajba din mela biex inkunu 'Progressivi' u 'Moderati' nipperikolaw is-sigurta ta' pajjizna!!

What a weak reaction from the MLP!!!

d. borg

Feb 6th 2009, 15:25

The Labour Party should be ashamed in trying to defend its stand on this issue. Sorry but on this one I disagree completely. Malta does not need neither immigrants let alone terrorists. Prosit ghalik Joseph Muscat. Hsiebtek differenti!! As far as I'm concerned USA can keep its terrorists in its prisons not dump them on others.

malcolm seychell

Feb 6th 2009, 15:18

Issa jigu bl islogan Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox u jivvutaw mall-kommunisti u l-greens.

Prosit Joseph Muscat. Qas Fredu Sant ma kien jaghmel wahda hekk.

Shame Shame Shame

Keith Aquilina

Feb 6th 2009, 15:14

so we Maltese are asking for other countries to share our burden about illegal immigrants. Then we should be voting a similar resolution of burden sharing?

James Micallef

Feb 6th 2009, 15:00

It seems a lot of people are missing the point. The Guantanamo inmates were held without charges or trial, a lot of them were tortured for information, but in 8 years the US did not manage to prosecute even one of them. That's because there is either no evidence against them, or the only evidence against them was obtained through torture and is probably false.

If the US can prosecute and jail some of them it will, but most of the Guantanamo inmates are NOT going to be sent into any prison. So what's being talked about here isn't transferring them to EU prisons, but releasing them onto EU streets.

A good proportion of them are probably innocent, but surely there are some dangerous criminals among them. The US should take responsibility for accommodating those detainees that will be released and keeping an eye on them. The EU mostly opposed the war and even those countries supporting the war were completely opposed to Guantanamo, so should not carry any of the burden.

Alex Ellul

Feb 6th 2009, 14:47

I cannot see any logic in getting the suspect terrorists transferred into EU prisons. What's the difference in keeping them on US soil, EU soil or on the moon? Either they deserve to stay in a prison or they deserve to be let free. A prison is a prison wherever it may be.

This problem emanates from the past criticism of the Bush administration on Guantanamo and the Iraq policy in general, Obama's electoral campaign promises and chickens coming home to roost. After all the talk, the terrorists cannot be let free since they are, after all, terrorists and they cannot remain in Guantanamo after all the empty words. So we are transferring them to another place, the word "Guantanamo" will disappear from the political dictionary and we will have many little Guantanamos spread all over Europe and we will all forget about it all and sleep better at night. Meanwhile Obama will keep the soldiers on Iraqi soil, Afghan soil and practically all over the planet, just as Bush and all US presidents before him. The difference is that Obama will not get the same flack as Bush.

Isn't this just an exercise in hypocrisy and futility?

D Bailey

Feb 6th 2009, 14:28

The shortsightedness of some people amazes me. These people are a potential threat against EU countries just as much as they are a treath to the US and any Western democracy. Have we already forgotten the London and Madrid bombings? Helping the US on this issue is itself an act of protecting our country and our continent.

What's more, these inmates need to be housed in high security prisons, and ours probably doesn't qualify, so we won't be housing any of them. And what does illegal immigration have to do with this?? It's completely irrelevant. But if you want to mix them, the US has helped Malta already by accepting a number of illegal immigrants.. so what if we house a couple of these inmates (which we won't anyway)?

Chris Mifsud

Feb 6th 2009, 14:21

America is huge and full of prisons . They should keep them there .

Joseph Sammut

Feb 6th 2009, 13:58

Of all countries, we offer to accept even one of these inmates. What was our part in the circumstances which lead to the creation of these political prisoners?

I did not hear the PL view on this issue, but on the basis of what is being reported, the PL disappoints me on this issue.

john fenech

Feb 6th 2009, 13:46

If I am not mistaken these individuals are not illegal immigrants but suspected of partaking in crimes against society. So if they are to be released they should either go to their country or to the country that supported their action.

It is inconceivable to include these as refugees or political prisoners as otherwise all the prisoners who committed terrorist acts should also be released to settle in Europe!!

M.Gauci

Feb 6th 2009, 13:44

Prosit Joseph Muscat. This vote by the labour MEPs I guess goes in line with your labour line.

We owe you one at the EP polls Mr. Muscat!

Joseph Mifsud

Feb 6th 2009, 13:44

Maybe the PL will host them at the Centru Nazzjonali Laburista!

C.Sapiano

Feb 6th 2009, 13:43

This is what you expect when voting for left-wing MEP's. Unfortunately the socialist group together with the so called 'greens' almost always vote against Europe's identity and against the interests of our nation. The truth is that with all the defects that the PPE may have, it is the only group which can protect our continent.

Edwin Formosa

Feb 6th 2009, 13:41

Kemm sirna ubbidjenti lejn is-socjalisti ewropej!!! Insejtu kemm ' ipprofetizzajtu' li jekk nidhlu fl-ewropa ikollna jidettalna lil 'made in Brussellls'? IPOKTITI !!

Alex Coppola

Feb 6th 2009, 13:38

First we have to absorb immigrants and now prisoners as well. No!! We need tourists as they are a source of income this country sorely needs.

Chris Mifsud

Feb 6th 2009, 13:34

Sure lets host the terrorists here along with the hundres of illegal immigrans we are already dumped with . Why can't they just be sent to prisons in their own countries where hopefully they will get what they deserve .

Joe Galea

Feb 6th 2009, 13:34

On this one I am aganst PL MEP's. It's already we have the illegal immigrants, we don't need more scum being pampered from my taxes while I break my back working.

john micallef

Feb 6th 2009, 13:22

hekk jonqos issa, nibilaw lil dawk ukoll mhux bizejjed qed igaluna nzommu lil ohrajn!!