Speech by Sir Cyril Townsend

Sir Cyril Townsend, Director of CAABU

"I don't need to say we've had an extremely significant meeting with a very good atmosphere. Could I say just a few words before we have a question and answer session, which I think is the best use of the time we've got. I will add one other personal note. By chance shortly after the bombing of the Israeli Embassy, I went with the parliamentary delegation (I was in the House then) to call on the Israeli Ambassador. The subject was Vanunu. When we got there we were shown the Israeli Embassy and it was extremely significant damage. It wasn't a matter of a crack in the wall, heavy masonry had come down. One couldn't help one wondering what it was and as far as we knew no individual was killed or injured with that heavy fall of masonry in what is normally a busy and rather overcrowded embassy. And of course we also knew that the security cameras, for some reasons, were not working on that particular day. I am not going to add to the speculations and those were some of my observations of the time.

When this case first came up, my council was pretty cautious about it. There were a lot of wild allegations flying around on both sides of the case. But I have to say that as things develop along the months, the years, my hair started standing on its ends. This is one of those chilling cases which I personally would link in public with the Birmingham 6 and Guildford 4. My staff were examining the papers and meeting the people involved. Each one of them said something has gone terribly wrong. I don't know what it is but simply can't explain what has happened. But I have a real feeling inside there that has been a terrible terrible failure with the British justice, and what I am concerned with, as is my council, as is my executive committee, that not only that injustice should be put right, but it should be put right with the minimum possible delay. It is quite intolerable that those two are suffering the conditions they are, due to a failure of British justice.

The one of two other aspects of the case which have been touched on, which I would like to briefly comment on. The first is the conditions of the prisons these two have been in. I had people coming to see me to tell me about the conditions that Samar was experiencing in Holloway prison. I am not going into detail, all I can say is not a single person in this room will find those conditions acceptable. And now in Durham jail, I gather to some building works, again totally unacceptable conditions are in existence.

I want to comment on these immunity certificates. I am not going to debate if they should or should not exist. I personally can think of some very rare cases when a case can be put for them to exist. But what I ask you is what the hell are these immunity certificates doing in this particular case? Why can't you have a court session in camera, just with the jury, just with the barristers' presence if there are some vital piece of state security. But what vital piece of state security is going to emerge from this particular case except possibly bungling in the intelligence services of our country? I find the whole concept of these certificates chilling. What would you say if your children were in the dock, and you knew well the prosecution had in front of them evidence that simply was not available for the man or woman defending your child? I know what I would have said - I am very cross indeed."

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