As Shamima Begum has today lost her appeal for British citizenship, it’s worth taking a look at what the leading lights of His Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition, have had to say on the matter:

Leftie lawyers backing Begum is no surprise:

• Keir Starmer, as seen above, said the Home Secretary made the “wrong decision” on the case. He then agreed the decision was a recipe for “moral cowardice of the worst sort”.
• Emily Thornberry wanted to “bring her back to Britain”.

They were not alone:

• Lisa Nandy and Nick Thomas-Symonds backed her return to the UK.
• Jo Stevens called the removal of Begum’s citizenship “pathetic posturing”.
• Diane Abbott said the government’s actions were “morally reprehensible”.
• Jeremy Corbyn defended Begum’s right to remain in Britain, saying she deserves our support.

All eyes now on how captain hindsight will find a way to revise his line…

To be fair, not all members of the shadow cabinet were so full-throated in their terrorist sympathies. Yvette Cooper dodged questions on Begum – admitting it was a “matter for the courts”. Presumably, now the courts have upheld the decision, she agrees the government took the right approach…

Gerry Adams is being sued in the High Court for his alleged role in masterminding three IRA bombings. Before the government introduces legislation that will prevent any future legal actions associated with the Troubles, 3 victims feel it is necessary to bring their case to court to compel Adams to engage in an effective truth and reconciliation process. They are crowdfunding their case.

The three are victims of the 1996 terror attacks in Manchester and Docklands, as well as the Old Bailey car bombing in 1973, and are seeking nominal damages of £1 in a landmark case that could see long-standing accusations against Gerry Adams tested in court for the first time. The former Sinn Fein leader, 73, has always denied membership of the IRA or any involvement in its terror campaign in Northern Ireland and on the mainland. The case would see Adams forced under oath to either admit or deny his leadership of the IRA Army Council…

The claimants bringing the case are Jon Ganesh, Barry Laycock, and John Clark. Ganesh was injured while working as a security guard when a truck bomb ripped through South Quay near Canary Wharf in February 1996, killing two, injuring more than 100 and causing £150 million worth of damage. Laycock is a former rail worker injured by a truck bomb detonated in Manchester in June 1996. It had three times the explosive power of the Canary Wharf bomb, injured more than 250 people and caused £700 million worth of damage. Clark, an ex-police officer, was injured in the Old Bailey bombing operation in which one man died and more than 200 people were injured. They are seeking a nominal £1.

They are represented by lawyers McCue Jury & Partners, who specialise in representing victims of terrorism and taking on historical cases when all hope had been lost for achieving justice. McCue Jury & Partners have secured significant wins, including the cases of Breslin & Ors V. McKevitt & Ors (on behalf of victims of the Real IRA 1998 Omagh bombing), Young v Downey (on behalf of victims of the IRA 1972 Hyde Park bombing) and Murray v Mabrouk (the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher).  If you want to see Gerry Adams in the dock, help them raise the £100,000 needed to bring the case…

Donate via CrowdJustice

Some harrowing news in court today as the jury was told Sir David Amess’s killer, Ali Harbi Ali, also considered targeting Michael Gove and Mike Freer before his attack on the Southend MP. It also emerged Ali said “sorry” before repeatedly stabbing the MP.

Two constituents who turned up for the next appointment heard cries for help from Amess’s staff while Ali waved the knife around shouting “I killed him, I killed him… I want him dead.”

“I want every Parliament Minister who signed up for the bombing of Syria, who agreed to the Iraqi war to die.”

“I’ve done it because of Syria. I’ve done it because of the innocent people. I’ve done it because of the bombing. He deserved to die.”

“I want to die; I want to be a hero”.

According to prosecutor Tom Little QC, Ali purchased the knife used in the murder five years prior. He denies murder and preparing acts of terrorism. 

Westminster Bridge finally bears a plaque to commemorate the five people killed in the 2017 terror attack, including PC Keith Palmer. Westminster City Council announced their intention in March last year, although Grade II listing saw the process delayed until yesterday, when the tribute was at last revealed:

“In memory of those who lost their lives in the act of terrorism on Westminster Bridge and New Palace Yard on 22 March 2017.”

“This plaque is also laid in recognition of the injury and loss caused to the many other people affected, their bravery, humanity and resilience continues to inspire us.”

Hat-tip to Travis Frain who posted the photos to Linkedin. Frain himself was injured during the attack while on a university trip, and alongside campaigning for the plaque launched a counter-radicalisation programme during lockdown. 

Priti Patel has confirmed this afternoon that the UK’s terrorism threat level has dropped from severe to substantial, meaning an attack is now considered ‘likely’ rather than ‘highly likely’. In the written statement to Parliament, Patel said:

“The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) has reduced the UK national terrorism threat level from severe to substantial. This means that a terrorist attack in the UK is likely.

JTAC previously raised the UK national threat level from substantial to severe following two terrorist attacks in the UK in quick succession, in October and November 2021.

When the threat level is at severe it means an attack is highly likely.

JTAC judges that, despite these two attacks, the current nature and scale of the UK terrorist threat is consistent with the level of threat seen prior to the attacks.”

The threat level was previously raised in response to the failed Liverpool taxi bombing and the murder of Sir David Amess.

Ali Harbi Ali, 25, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of MP Sir David Amess and preparing acts of terrorism