A rights group yesterday sought a ban on US flights carrying bombs and detonators to Israel landing at UK airports.
The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) accused the UK government of knowingly assisting in ‘acts of terrorism’.
The IHRC was seeking permission to bring proceedings against the Civil Aviation Authority, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Defence Secretary Des Browne, to stop ‘grave and serious violations’ of international humanitarian law and ‘crimes’ against the Geneva Convention.
The IHRC claimed in the High Court that the flights encouraged Israel’s war on Lebanon.
Peter Carter QC, for the IHRC, urged the High Court to rule that the UK was ‘guilty of aiding and abetting breaches of international law’ by allowing American planes in transit, carrying bombs and detonators to Israel, to land at British airports.
He told the judge that the UK government ‘knew that the arms shipments would encourage Israel to continue its attacks, in the knowledge that supplies would be replenished by the US’.
It was therefore assisting in ‘disproportionate military attacks’.
The IHRC sought an injunction to halt flights touching down in the UK and a judicial review against the UK government’s action.
The IHRC, an independent campaign, research and advocacy organisation based in London, said it brought the case after receiving ‘many complaints’ from British citizens whose family members are in Lebanon and ‘facing grave danger as well as acts of terror’.
However the judge said that the IHRC had failed to establish ‘an arguable case by a very long way’ and threw it out.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police were expected to release without charge at least one of the eleven suspects still held without charge in connection with the alleged airlines plot, before yesterday evening’s deadline.
A judge gave police another 24 hours to question one of the eleven.
Under new anti-terror laws, police can intern people for 28 days but have to apply to a High Court judge for custody extensions after 14 days.
A High court judge was yesterday brought to City of Westminster Magistrates Court in central London where eleven other suspects were charged on Tuesday and remanded in custody.
Police holding the people who have not been charged can ask for up to seven more days for questioning before having to go before a judge again to ask for a further seven days custody.
