Risk Professional: Brown undermines UN 1267 terrorism sanctions list, says wmlro.com

The argument is simple: yesterday in a House of Commons exchange with the David Cameron, the Conservative leader, Brown was asked why Tony Blair had first said he would ban Hizb ut Tahrir, which is said to be an extremist organisation, but then seemingly changed his mind with the result that the group is not banned.

Brown said " To proscribe an organisation, we need full evidence and that evidence needs to be looked at in detail in the cold light of day." He later said "proscription should be on the basis of evidence, which was clearly proven, of advocating violence."

That, demonstrably, is not what happens with the UN1267 list many entries of which are at the behest of the USA based upon intelligence not evidence. And, as the report points out, there is irony that Brown talks of "evidence" within hours of the opening of the Inquiry into the invasion of Iraq which was justified on the basis of intelligence which was wrong.

The 1267 list is imported into member countries under treaty obligations.

It follows, then, that inclusion in the UK Treasury's list based upon the 1267 list is not based on evidence, no matter what Brown - who as Prime Minister is formally head of the Treasury - may say.

But his comments, the report says, will offer comfort to those who are challenging the list and regulations made under it saying that the list is not based on evidence - and should be - and that there is no mechanism for securing removal of incorrect entries, a basic human right, they say.

wmlro.com at www.BankingInsuranceSecurities.Com