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UK government faces fresh demands over legality of Iraq war

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Feb 28, IRNA -- The British government is facing fresh 
demands from peace groups to publish the Attorney General`s legal 
advice on the Iraq war as part of their defense for campaigners 
arrested for staging protests. 
The environmental Greenpeace organization said Saturday that it 
was seeking access to the government`s legal advice in relation to 14 
activists facing charges for participating in anti-war demonstrations 
last year. 
Two anti-war protesters charged with offenses following a 
demonstration at Fairford Air Base in western England are also to 
make a formal request for the full publication of the judgment made 
by Attorney General Lord Goldsmith last March. 
Their demands come after official secrets charges against former 
intelligence officer Katharine Gun were suddenly dropped last week 
when her lawyers asked to see the advice. 
Gun was charged with leaking a top secret e-mail disclosing US 
plans to bug delegates at the UN Security Council ahead of a crucial 
vote in the runup to the Iraq war. 
Greenpeace said it had written to the Crown Prosecution Service 
(CPS) asking it for the Attorney-General`s full advice to the 
government on the legality of the war. 
"We have given the CPS 24 hours to produce the full advice. 
Otherwise we will renew the request for the advice in court on the 
first day of the trial set for March 9," it said. 
Its activists were charged after occupying a military base in 
Southampton, southern England, in February 2003 and Greenpeace is 
arguing that the legality of the Iraq war could be central to their 
defense in the protest that was aimed at preventing loss of life. 
The anti-war demonstrators are being supported by Conservative 
peer Lord Alexander, who has argued like several MPs, that the 
summary of Goldsmith`s advice published just before the war was not 
credible. 
"It`s probably the most important legal opinion given in the past 
50 years and the summary doesn`t stand up to scrutiny so far," said 
the peer, who is also a barrister, during an interview with BBC radio 
Saturday. 
The British government has rejected all previous requests for the 
publication of the Attorney General`s advice, which claims the 
legality of the Iraq war was based upon a combination of UN 
resolutions. 
HC/LS/210 
End