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British group raises alert over reported Israeli interference in pro-Palestinian activists’ legal proceedings
A British advocacy group has warned that the Israeli government’s alleged interference in ongoing UK legal proceedings involving pro-Palestinian activists poses a “dangerous” threat to democratic rights and civil liberties.
Anas Mustapha, head of public advocacy at CAGE International, described revelations published by The Guardian newspaper as part of a broader “campaign to criminalise dissent”.
The investigation revealed that the UK Attorney General’s Office shared the contact details of the Crown Prosecution Service and Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) with the deputy Israeli ambassador in the UK in September. This took place during an investigation into an eventual 18 activists who were arrested after a protest at a weapons manufacturer in Bristol.
The group, known as the Filton 18, are linked to the direct-action network Palestine Action, which targets Elbit Systems sites – an arms firm supplying Israel with weapons during its war on Gaza.
“This evidence of political interference is deeply concerning and amounts to an abuse of process. Every additional day the Filton 18 remain detained is a violation of their fundamental rights. They must be freed, and the case against them must be dropped immediately,” Mustapha said.
British Muslim leaders urge Starmer to recognise Palestine, demand Gaza truce
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is delivering a letter to UK PM Keir Starmer today, calling on him to recognise Palestine as a sovereign state and to demand a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The letter, signed by a wide coalition of Muslim leaders and organisations from across the UK, warns of the “profound concern” in British Muslim communities over the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
The signatories, representing communities from every region of the UK, urged that the UK government:
- join countries like France, Spain, and Norway in recognising Palestinian statehood;
- demand an end to the mass killing of civilians and secure the return of hostages on both sides;
- guarantee immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza; and
- halt arms exports and military support to Israel.
MCB leader Wajid Akhter said: “British Muslim communities, alongside countless others across the country, are calling for a foreign policy rooted in justice, humanity and international law. We rightly stood against Russia’s illegal occupation of Ukraine, yet the mass killing of Palestinian civilians is met with silence. It would be a tragedy if Britain missed the opportunity to be on the right side of history.
