In a historic ruling today regarding the Anti-Terrorism Act 2001, a decision by the law lords ruled that detaining foreigners without trial breaches European human rights powers. Thankfully, for the detainees, sanity has prevailed.  However, the battle against unlawful imprisonment has yet to be won as the men are still detained. 

I correspond with some of these men and I count them and their wives among my friends.  All of them are intelligent educated people who have lived in England for many years and whose children were born there. They are the most generous and hospitable people I have ever met.  

Sadly, one can no longer communicate.  He was, in the past, such a free spirit and loved hill walking and mountaineering in Scotland.  I feel a special affinity with him. He is now detained with two others under the Mental Health Act in Broadmoor.   Four have been driven insane by their indefinite detention - two are now wheelchair bound and one man, who has no arms below his elbows, is a particularly tragic case. He has no family in this country and needs support. He wrote to me recently, "When I first arrived in this country I was hoping to experience so-called democracy, human rights, rule of law.  Instead I find myself stuck under another dictatorship.  Stuck under a race charge, whereby I am judged by the colour of my skin and the religion I believe in.  Both these things do not make me a terrorist but sadly I am treated like one.  I have no doubt that my freedom can only be achieved via death". 

I want the readers of the Herald to know that these men are not faceless.  They have wives, children and friends who are understandably scared to speak out. Some have been tortured in other countries and already suffered post traumatic stress disorder before their detention. They are hostages, interned as a message to the Muslim community that they are not protected by British law. 

 Lord Hoffman ruled today that "the real threat to the life of the nation comes not from terrorism but from laws such as these".   With my friends in mind, I agree.