Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition
www.manchesterstopwar.org
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1. Troops surge 'will lead to further disaster'
2. Charges dropped against anti war soldier Joe Glenton
3. Case for Sanctions launch with Palestinian & anti Aparteid leaders - Mon 7th Dec
4. Free the Manchester Four - campaign launch Sat 12th Dec
5. Is it a crime to be a Muslim?
6. Follow us on Twitter
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1. Troops surge 'will lead to further disaster'

"The lesson of history that Barack Obama and Gordon Brown refuse to learn is that the people of Afghanistan never accept occupation by foreign powers. Obama has now committed the United States and its allies to many more years before that lesson is learnt yet again, too late for the thousands who will be killed and maimed or have their lives devastated by a futile and unjustified war.'

Malalai Joya, exiled woman Afghanistan MP said of the surge:
"It is a continuation of a war crime against the suffering people of my country. Installing warlords and drug traffickers in power in Kabul, the US and Nato have pushed us from the frying pan to the fire. Now Obama is pouring fuel on these flames, and this week's announcement of 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan will have tragic consequences."

Full analysis on our national website     www.stopwar.org.uk
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2. Charges dropped against anti war soldier!

Sue Glenton, mother of the anti war campaigner Lance Corporal Joe Glenton who refused to be redeployed to Afghanistan, spoke in Manchester last week.

"The Army said he was an exemplary soldier, but now he has been arrested and is in Colchester Detention Centre because he spoke out against the war. Joe was offered bail by the judge but he refused as the offer included a gagging order. He is in now custody serving 28 days.

"The outcome of the last hearing was that Joe had been arrested unlawfully under charges that had previously been withdrawn. His only outstanding charge is of desertion, which was changed from AWOL after his first letter to Gordon Brown.

"We are stepping up the campaign and are confident we will get him released. Joe said thanks for all the support from people in Manchester."

See full video on our website     www.manchesterstopwar.org/reports-activities/660-video-sue-glenton-speaks-in-manchester.html

Send Joe a card today!
Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, Military Corrective Training Centre, Berechurch Hall Camp, Colchester CO2 9NU
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3. Case for Sanctions launch with anti Aparteid leaders

Last December Israel launched a savage war against the people of Gaza. Come to this International meeting to boost the launch of the campaign for sanctions and boycott of Israeli goods and institutions.

Israel, the Palestinians and Apartheid : THE CASE FOR SANCTIONS AND BOYCOTT

Monday 7th December, 7pm. Lecture Theatre A, University Place,University of Manchester, Oxford Road. Manchester

Speakers:
* Ronnie Kasrils, former minister in Nelson Mandela’s ANC government and anti-Apartheid activist
* Bongani Masuku (International Secretary) & George Mahlangu
 (Campaigns Coordinator)
* Omar Barghouti, Palestinian Campaign for Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions

Organised by Bricup and the UCU
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4. Free the Manchester Four - campaign launch Sat 12th Dec

Stop the Criminalisation of the Muslim Community!
Oppose Islamophobia!
Drop the charges! & Free the Manchester Four!

1pm Saturday 12th December.
Medina Mosque, Barlow Rd. Levenshulme, Manchester M19 3DJ

Four men from Manchester have been detained, imprisoned, and charged with the ‘intention of committing acts of terrorism’ in Afghanistan. One of those charged does not even have a passport!

"These charges are nothing but LIES. The men are totally innocent and whoever has met them would tell you that each one is a praiseworthy individual who helped a lot in the community."  Nasir Faruqi, brother of Munir Farooqi one of the Manchester Four

A Muslim religious leader facing similar allegations was released last month after widespread protests against 'the detention of yet another innocent man'.

All welcome at this meeting. Further details to follow.
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5. Is it a crime to be a Muslim?

Using new powers introduced through the anti-terror legislation one man has been charged with the 'intention of committing terror acts' and 'three others are charged with intending to assist others to commit acts of terrorism'.

These arrests come on the back of high profile raids in the North West in April where 12 students were arrested by armed police under anti-terror powers. Despite finding no evidence whatsoever of any terror plot, 10 of the students, who are Pakistani citizens, were immediately rearrested under immigration powers following their release and detained in UK prisons awaiting deportation. (Campaign www.j4nw10.org )

During the summer, over 60 Muslim men and women were arrested and charged with violent disorder following one of the largest demonstrations in London against Israel’s brutal assault on the Palestinian people six months previously. Most of these arrests did not take place at the demonstrations themselves but in a series of ‘dawn raids’ throughout the summer; one 15-year old boy, for example, was arrested after 25 police officers broke into his house at 4.30am, causing intense fear and panic to his family and neighbours.

At the same time we are seeing an increase in hate crimes against the Muslim community.

In the last two months alone we have had the desecration of Muslim gravestones on three separate occasions and racist anti-Muslim marches of the EDL with their 'no more mosques' placards in towns across the country.

Both Muslims and Non-Muslims are shocked at these attacks on a section of our community and see it as a direct result of the Governments failing policy on the “war on terror”.  For many in the Muslim community this has become a “war of terror” as more and more of our civil liberties are being removed and Muslims feel they are being targeted just for practising their faith.

Comment by Nahella AShraf, Chair GM STWC
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6. FOLLOW MANCHESTER STOP THE WAR ON TWITTER
Follow Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition on Twitter. Keep up to datewith anti war news on you mobile phone or email.
Register on Twitter and follow us at http://twitter.com/gmstopthewar
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www.manchesterstopwar.com
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Compiled by Mark Krantz
07765 122 829