Write to the Forgotten Detainees

[cageprisoners]

It takes little imagination to visualise life in a prison. The confined cell, the bare walls, the silence, and most of all, the feeling of isolation. Many have no family members in the UK and as a result they have become despondent and desperate. In one case, a detainee was actually seeking permission from a scholar to commit suicide until he began to receive letters from the public, which renewed his desire and motivation to live.

It is not enough that we feel sorry for what they are going through. It is not enough that we shed a few tears when we sit and think about what they are experiencing. Nor is it enough that we lay back and wait for others to take on the responsibility of reaching out to them.

We must not fail them at this critical time. We must hasten to comfort them, and support them at a time when they need us most. We must write letters that give them hope, help strengthen them and motivate them to persevere in remaining patient. We must be their link to the outside world, a link that shows that they have not been forgotten.

Such letter-writing campaigns have proved to be hugely successful – with the 8 Belmarsh detainees receiving 60 letters each in the week that the campaign was first launched and with Babar Ahmad receiving over 50 letters in his first week in prison.

Therefore we urge you all to make it a regular practice to write to at least one prisoner a week and to encourage all your family members and friends to do the same.

The letters can be as short as a paragraph, preferably written in your own handwriting as it is more personal, or if you do not have time to write a letter, you can buy a set of 'Thinking of You' cards. The content of the letters should be encouraging them to be patient, reminding them to have hope and that they have not been forgotten. This should not take more than half an hour and should not cost you more than £3. However, it may give hope to a prisoner for whom half an hour is like half a year.

Simple messages of goodwill are enough. Never advance your political opinion or discuss politics at all.

Clearly state the prisoner number otherwise the card will not reach the intended recipient. In some cases, the names of prisoners are withheld for legal reasons.

If you have included your name and address (preferably a stamped addressed envelope) it is probable that the prisoners will write back to you and you can find out exactly what their situation is like inside. If you still prefer not to leave your name and address, then please write to them anyway.

Please ensure that the prisoner addresses are written exactly as they appear below.


PRISONER ADDRESSES

UK


Detainee Z
c/o Chantel Fenton
Birnberg Peirce & Partners
14 Inverness Street
London
NW1 7HJ

HMP BELMARSH

(Note: the detainees cannot receive books, tapes, clothes etc; money can help prisoners buying extra food and other items but should be sent via special delivery. Do not send letters in an A4 envelope. Please include a return address)

Syed Talha Ahsan TA6044
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0EB

Tariq Al Daour NB9133
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London
SE28 0EB

Saajid Badat JG9199
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 OEB

Dhiren Barot NB5353
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0EB

Mohammad Bhatti MX5483
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0EB

Abdul Aziz Jalil NB5352
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0EB

Aabid Hussain Khan WW4708
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0EB

Amar Makhlulif FF8180
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0EB

Zia ul-Haq MX5482
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0EB

Prisoner no. HJ4127
HMP Belmarsh,
Westernway,
Thamesmead,
LONDON SE 28 OEB

Prisoner FF7095
HMP Belmarsh,
Westernway,
Thamesmead,
LONDON SE 28 OEB

Prisoner no. HP9416
HMP Belmarsh,
Westernway,
Thamesmead,
LONDON SE 28 OEB

Prisoner no. HP6742
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0EB

Prisoner no.HP8918
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0EB

Prisoner no.HP6676
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0EB

Prisoner no. NB 4670
HMP Belmarsh
Western Way
Thamesmead
London SE28 0EB




HMP WOODHILL


Omer Abdulrehman MX5484
HMP Woodhill,
Tattenhoe Street,
Milton Keynes,
Buckinghamshire, MK4 4DA

Babar Ahmad MX5383
HMP Woodhill,
Tattenhoe Street,
Milton Keynes,
Buckinghamshire, MK4 4DA

Farid Hilali HP8485
HMP Woodhill,
Tattenhoe Street,
Milton Keynes,
Buckinghamshire, MK4 4DA

Qaser Shafi MX5481
HMP Woodhill
Tattenhoe Street
Milton Keynes
Bucks
MK4 4DA

Nadeem Tarmohammed MX5480
HMP Woodhill
Tattenhoe Street
Milton Keynes
Bucks
MK4 4DA

Haroon Rashid Aswat
HMP Woodhill,
Tattenhoe Street,
Milton Keynes,
Buckinghamshire, MK4 4DA


FACING DEPORTATION

BROADMOOR

Detainee B,
Luton Ward,
Broadmoor Psychiatric Hospital,
Crowthorne,
Berkshire
RG11 78G.


HMP FULL SUTTON

NB: The sender must enclose their name and address for mail to be delivered to a prisoner

Abu Qatada, MX8756 (formerly under control orders)
HMP Full Sutton
York
YO41 1PS






HMP LONG LARTIN

Adel Bary CB9445 (facing extradition)
HMP Long Lartin
South Littleton
Evesham
Worcestershire
WR11 8TZ

Detainee K, MX8762 (formerly under control orders)
HMP Long Lartin
South Littleton
Evesham
Worcestershire
WR11 8TZ

Detainee Q, MX8760 (formerly under control orders)
HMP Long Lartin
South Littleton
Evesham
Worcestershire
WR11 8TZ

MK, NB9773
HMP Long Lartin
South Littleton
Evesham
Worcestershire
WR11 8TZ


FACING DEPORTATION, CURRENTLY BAILED/HOUSE ARREST

Detainee G, MX8759 (formerly under control orders)
c/o Birnberg Peirce & Partners
14 Inverness Street
Camden Town
London NW1 7HJ



Detainee HH
c/o Natalia Garcia
Tyndallwoods Solicitors
Priory Gate
Steelhouse Lane
Birmingham B4 6EB

Detainee NN
c/o Natalia Garcia
Tyndallwoods Solicitors
Priory Gate
Steelhouse Lane
Birmingham B4 6EB

Detainee A, MX8754 (formerly under control orders)
c/o Birnberg Peirce & Partners
14 Inverness Street
Camden Town
London NW1 7HJ

Detainee H, MX8758 (formerly under control orders)
c/o Birnberg Peirce & Partners
14 Inverness Street
Camden Town
London NW1 7HJ

Detainee T,MX8755
c/o Natalia Garcia
Tyndallwoods Solicitors
Priory Gate
Steelhouse Lane
Birmingham B4 6EB

Mamdouh Abu Rideh
c/o Daniel Guedalla
Birnberg Peirce & Partners
14 Inverness Street
Camden Town
London NW1 7HJ

Detainee ‘E’ (FF9416)
c/o Daniel Guedalla
Birnberg Peirce & Partners
14 Inverness Street
Camden Town
London NW1 7HJ

Detainee P
c/o Daniel Guedalla
Birnberg Peirce and Partners
14 Inverness Street
Camden Town
London NW1 7HJ



ELECTRONIC HOUSE ARREST

Detainee ‘X’ (awaiting extradition to the US)
c/o Daniel Guedalla
Birnberg Peirce & Partners
14 Inverness Street
Camden Town
London NW1 7HJ


GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA

Prisoner name (see prisoner gallery profiles)
Camp Delta
P.O. Box 160
Washington DC 20053
USA

NOTE: Individuals should note that while we have had it confirmed from one of the US lawyers who has visited Guantanamo, that the US government do allow mail from non-family members, all mail is subject to extreme delays as well as censors. There is a strong possibility that the JTF in Guantanamo will withhold letters for up to a year or longer, or that the detainees may never receive your letter. Only a few released detainees we spoke to had received mail from non-relatives, in spite of many having been sent. The US is believed to be clamping down on mail particularly, of late. However, letter-writing can be considered a protest action, as it sends a strong message to the US administration that the world has not forgotten the prisoners in Guantanamo, but rather is immensely concerned about what is occuring in Cuba.



FORMER DETAINEES

Cageprisoners
PO Box 45798
London
SW16 4XS

or email: contact@cageprisoners.com

We can forward letters intended for all former British Guantanamo detainees: Asif Iqbal, Feroz Abbasi, Jamal Al Harith, Martin Mubanga, Moazzam Begg, Shafiq Rasul, Richard Belmar, Ruhal Ahmad, Tarek Dergoul, Jamal Kiyemba

Former Guantanamo Detainees: Airat Vakhitov, Mehdi Ghezali, Nasser Al Mutairi, Rasul Kudayev, Rustam Akhmerov, the five Kuwaitis, Abdullah AlNoaimi, Mamdouh Habib, Khaled ben Mustafa

Former British detainees:

- Detainee D (former detainee in HMP Woodhill)
- Detainee M (former detainee in HMP Belmarsh)
- Detainee KM (former detainee in HMP Belmarsh)
- Jamal Ajouaou (former detainee in HMP Belmarsh)
- Tahira Tabassum (former detainee in HMP Belmarsh)
- Maajid Nawaz, Ian Nisbet, Reza Pankhurst (Egypt 3)

Abdullah AlMalki (rendered to Syria)


FAMILIES

- Family of Ahcene Zemiri (Algerian, Guantanamo)
- Family of Ali Qaffan (Yemeni, Guantanamo)
- Family of Bisher Al Rawi (British resident, Guantanamo)
- Families of the Bosnian detainees in Guantanamo: Al Akhdar Boumediene, Bin Siyah BilQasim, Hajj Boudella, Mohammad Nechla, Mustafa Ait Idir, Sabir Lahmar
- Families of the Kuwaiti 12 (Guantanamo)
- Family of Jamil El Banna (British resident, Guantanamo)
- Family of Mobeen Muneef (Briton detained in Camp Bucca, Iraq)
- Family of Monear Eldrissy (Briton detained in Azerbaijan)
- Family of Omar Deghayes (British resident, Guantanamo)
- Family of Omar Khadr (Canadian, Guantanamo)
- Family of Said Arif (Algerian detained in France)
- Family of Shaker Aamer (British resident, Guantanamo)
- Families of Seifullah Chapman, Masud Khan, Hamad Abdurraheem, Ahmad Abu Ali (Virginia, US)
- Families of Zakaria Amara, Fahim Ahmad, Abdul Qayyum Jamal (Toronto 17)
- Family of Talha Ahsan (Briton facing extradition to US, email to info@freetalhaahsan.com)
- Family of Babar Ahmad (Briton facing extradition to US, email to info@freebabarahmad.co.uk)

AUSTRIA

Mustapha LABSI
Polizeianhaltezentrum
Eisenstadt II,
Neusiedlerstraße 84,
7000 Austria

FRANCE


Monsieur Rachid RAMDA
92 1989
MA Fresnes
Allée des Thuyas
94261 Fresnes Cedex,
France

Monsieur Rabah KADRI
92 5466 D. III / c. 11
M.A. Fresnes
Allée des Thuyas
94 261 Fresnes Cedex
France

SLOVAKIA

Mustapha LABSI
NAR : 04.09.69 N° 107
OKR. D. STREDA
93007 MEDVEDÓV
SLOVAKIA


SPAIN


Hedi Boudhiba
Modub 15
Centro Penitericario Madrid V
Codigo Postal 28791
Soto del Real
Colmenar Viejo
E-Madrid
Spain


USA

Ali Asad Chandia
email to contact@cageprisoners.com

Hammad Abdur-Raheem
Reg. No. 46814-083
Petersburg Med. FCI
P.O. Box 90043
Petersburg, VA 23804Seifullah Chapman
Reg. No. 46868-083
Alexandria Detention Center
2001 Mill Rd
Alexandria, VA 22314


Funds for Hammad can be sent to:
Hammad Abdur-Raheem
46814-083
Lockbox, Federal Bureau of Prisons
Inmate Name & Inmate Register number
PO BOX 474701
Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001

John Walker Lindh
Inmate # 45426-083
FCI Victorville
P.O. Box 5300
Adelanto, CA 92301

ALI AL-TIMIMI 48054-083
USP HAZELTON
U.S. PENITENTIARY
P.O. BOX 2000
BRUCETON MILLS, WV 26525

Masoud Ahmad Khan
Reg. 46810-083
Block E
Northern Neck Regional Jail
P.O. Box 1090
Warsaw, VA 22572

Dr. Sami Al-Arian (#40939-018)

RAFIL A DHAFIR 11921-052
FCI FAIRTON
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.O. BOX 420
FAIRTON, NJ 08320


CANADA


Fahim Ahmad
Maplehurst Correctional Complex
661 Martin Street
P.O box: 10
Milton, on
L9T 2Y3


Zakaria Amara
Maplehurst Correctional Complex
661 Martin Street
P.O box: 10
Milton, on
L9T 2Y3

Abdul Qayyum Jamal
Maplehurst Correctional Complex
661 Martin Street
P.O box: 10
Milton, on
L9T 2Y3

Saad Khalid
Maplehurst Correctional Complex
661 Martin Street
P.O box: 10
Milton, on
L9T 2Y3

Amin Mohamed Durrani
Maplehurst Correctional Complex
661 Martin Street
P.O box: 10
Milton, on
L9T 2Y3

Ahmad Mustafa Ghany
Maplehurst Correctional Complex
661 Martin Street
P.O box: 10
Milton, on
L9T 2Y3

Asad Ansari
Maplehurst Correctional Complex
661 Martin Street
P.O box: 10
Milton, on
L9T 2Y3

Shareef AbdulHaleem
Maplehurst Correctional Complex
661 Martin Street
P.O box: 10
Milton, on
L9T 2Y3

Jahmaal James
Maplehurst Correctional Complex
661 Martin Street
P.O box: 10
Milton, on
L9T 2Y3

Steven Vikash Chand
Maplehurst Correctional Complex
661 Martin Street
P.O box: 10
Milton, on
L9T 2Y3

[cageprisoners]

If there is a prisoner whom you feel should be listed here, and you can provide a contact address, please write to us at contact@cageprisoners.com

I understand that you can go to www.bop.gov and locate almost any inmate in U.S. - so if someone is in our prisoner gallery but their address is not listed here perhaps you can help us find it and post the address on this thread.

JazaakumAllaahu Khaira.

[Talib]

Whats the situation regarding personal visits to Belmarsh?
is it by appointment are there allocated times?

Jazak Allaahu Khayr

[cageprisoners]

Assalaamu 'alaykum

As far as I am aware - although I will try to get more details for you insha'Allah - the process for visting or receiving calls from prisoners in British prisons is the same:

- The prisoner has to make an application to the prison with your name, address, d.o.b and some other details, including your relationship to the prisoner e.g. 'friend'. So if you are not in touch with the prisoner you want to visit then start by corresponding with that prisoner over mail.

- The Prison Service and Police run a check on the person's background. This can include a police visit to your home (not a raid or a search, more like asking you some questions over a cup of tea).

- The entire vetting process can take anything between weeks and several months, depending on the prison, prisoner, applicant etc.

The process for visiting those under control orders is similar, except that you make the application to the Home Office (normally via the detainee's solicitor).

The prisoner then books a visit in the specified booking times - which are normally 7 days a week, I am not sure of the exact timings.

Perhaps I can get br.s Asim Qureshi or Adnan Siddiqui from our organisation to speak to you more about this as they have been vetted to visit prisoners alhamdulillaah

Wassalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh

[musaafirah 57]

Jazakum Allahu khayran.

Please be aware that all mail will be photocopied, read, and saved. Information gathered from your letters (your name, address, content etc.) can then be shared amongst authorities of different countries for their own purposes.

Wallahul-Musta`an

[Umm Layth]

Yeah but we are probably already on their computer anyways eh.

May Allaah keep our eeman strong, aameen

[Sabr Wa Shukr]

When our brothers and sisters have needed us most, we have let them down. When the mosques should have been raising the standard to help these poor souls, they were closing their doors saying that they wanted nothing to do with them....
If you were in prison, knowing that you were in there for a crime that you had never committed, what would you want the Muslim community to do? Would you say to us that leave my family be, they can take care of themselves? Of course not, you would ask one thing, where are my people?
None of us truly believe in Allaah until we love for our Muslim community, for our brothers and sisters in Islam, for our children in Islam, what we love for ourselves

~ Asim Qureshi.


http://www.cageprisoners.com/images/top.jpg

[Talibah-Muslimah]

What about postcards then ?

Big brother watching ehh , never mind there is someone bigger and better and stronger watching and recording what they are doing too alhamdulilah .

[cageprisoners]

I assume similar information would be gathered from postcards as well.

JazaakumAllaahu khair for pointing that out to people but irrespective, you are not doing anything illegal by writing to a prisoner. The authorities can try to intimidate you but if we all stand together they are unlikely to arrest us in the thousands for supporting a prisoner or his family.

If someone is really worried about it, what is to stop them from using a false name or kunya? If you are really paranoid, type your letter or alter your handwriting. If you keep your advice to the prisoner general and just try to raise his spirits then I do not see what the problem is. This only becomes an issue perhaps for those prisoners which require a return address (not all).

If you email us letters for the families or post them to us then insha'Allah we are obviously not going to record the information - so you are only going to be monitored as much as you would be sending any of your regular mail or email.

As a brother wrote recently in an article, these trials are as much a test for us as they are for the prisoners - to see who will be true to la ilaha illa Allah and stand up when it counted.

Take as your example those who do this work - they tied their camel and put their trust in Allah thereafter. Look at the many sisters who volunteer for HHugs, and are in direct contact with prisoners' families. If we support our brothers, do you think that Allah will abandon us when we know that He is helping the believer so long as he is helping his brother?

Wassalaamu 'alaykum

[cageprisoners]

Please note corrected address for Ali Al Timimi (according to bop.gov)


ALI AL-TIMIMI 48054-083
USP HAZELTON
U.S. PENITENTIARY
P.O. BOX 2000
BRUCETON MILLS, WV 26525




RAFIL A DHAFIR 11921-052
FCI FAIRTON
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.O. BOX 420
FAIRTON, NJ 08320

[AbuIlyaas]

I've updated your previous post.

[musaafirah 57]

Wassalaamu 'alaykum

Wa `alaykum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh.

Jazak Allah Khayr for the suggestions you gave in your response. I agree with you. I was not trying to discourage people from writing to prisoners. But many are new to this and may have no idea that the simple and rewarding act of writing to a prisoner may result in the FBI showing up at your door. I just wanted to promote "preparedness" amongst the Muslims.

[cageprisoners]

the simple and rewarding act of writing to a prisoner may result in the FBI showing up at your door

Is that really the case? Do we know of cases where this has happened?

Allahul-Musta'aan if that is true. I do not know the reality of the situation in the US although there appears to be a great deal of paranoia (thus not in a position to judge if that is necesssarily so or not)

Wassalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh

[musaafirah 57]

Is that really the case? Do we know of cases where this has happened?

Allahul-Musta'aan if that is true. I do not know the reality of the situation in the US although there appears to be a great deal of paranoia (thus not in a position to judge if that is necesssarily so or not)

Wassalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh

wa `alaykum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh

Yes it is true, and I know of a recent case where this has happened in the US. The US is probably stricter with it than other countries, so brothers and sisters here should be aware of that.

When a prisoner in the UK for example receives a letter from someone in the US, the UK authorities raise their eyebrow at that and then notify the US authorities to look into the sender, because they work together and share information. US authorities will look into that person, and if they feel the need to they will visit them, asking them questions about why they wrote to a prisoner in the UK and if they have any information on them. Basically, they want to see if the sender had any personal relationship or contact with the prisoner prior to their arrest. They don't understand why random people from around the world would want to write to these prisoners, as they view them as highly suspicious and potentially dangerous individuals. This is the same whether your write a handwritten letter, or just send a printed article/ayah/hadith of inspiration. They don't understand why anyone would want to provide comfort to them.

...And it is Allah, by His Bounty, Who makes it possible for the believers to complete good deeds, and He is the protector.

[musaafirah 57]

Then inshAllah just send the letters as "anonymous brother/sister"

There are postmarks that get stamped onto every letter or postcard or package (you name it!) that is sent via snail mail. This postmark tells where it was sent from and the date. So...it wouldn't really do much to send it anonymously.

By the way, it's really nice seeing you on ukhti; You're all in my du'as insha'Allah.

[Khadijah~UmmZakariyyah]

Its postmarked with the time and date and zip code, How many muslims could it come from in one zipcode. Drive to the next city to mail it. Khalus, there are way around it if your really worried about it...
Asalaam alaikum,
Khadijah

[BaBa-BlackSheep]

Asalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu


Earning Allah's reward doesn't come without sacrifice. People should fear Allah rather than shivering cuz FBI showed up at your door. And sister musaafirah 57, I don't see why you had to post that information up. You may say that you want to warn the people...but you know that the muslim tremble at the word of FBI and CSIS and would not write just cuz of that paranoid fear. And it's not so common that they show up cuz you wrote a letter to your muslim brothers so mentioning some rare incident isn't helping anyone. Before you did that, you should've considered the pros and cons of people knowing such "important" information. UKhtee, you may had a very good intention but the damage has been done. People who were already scared but wished to write will not do so anymore.

SubhanAllah, people find every excuse to avoid doing anything for these prisoners. Majority of the people are quite happy with just making dua. And when some manage to even try more than that, we instill fear in them to deter them.

[Mu7aaribah]

Asalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu


Earning Allah's reward doesn't come without sacrifice. People should fear Allah rather than shivering cuz FBI showed up at your door. And sister musaafirah 57, I don't see why you had to post that information up. You may say that you want to warn the people...but you know that the muslim tremble at the word of FBI and CSIS and would not write just cuz of that paranoid fear. And it's not so common that they show up cuz you wrote a letter to your muslim brothers so mentioning some rare incident isn't helping anyone. Before you did that, you should've considered the pros and cons of people knowing such "important" information. UKhtee, you may had a very good intention but the damage has been done. People who were already scared but wished to write will not do so anymore.

SubhanAllah, people find every excuse to avoid doing anything for these prisoners. Majority of the people are quite happy with just making dua. And when some manage to even try more than that, we instill fear in them to deter them.

I think you have completely misunderstood the sister. Her point is very valid and is a precaution to writing to prisoners. We are a time where anything we say/do/hint/frown upon is reported as suspicious behaviour and sadly before you know it, it is you that will be standing behind bars. What Musaafirah 57 has given us is precautions in which we need to realise that we have to prepare for the worst. You can’t be ignorant regarding what’s happening around you. Yes there are people who are being questioned by the police for sending random letters of support to our fellow brothers and the police won’t get off their case. At the end of the day if you haven’t experienced these sort of questionings and accusations then you really don’t know anything.

[Mu7aaribah]

Oh and by the by, welcome to IN BaBa-BlackSheep, enjoy your stay here. :)

[musaafirah 57]

Asalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu


People who were already scared but wished to write will not do so anymore.



wa `alaykum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh

Then you know what? If they were scared to write to begin with and if they "shivered" at the mention of FBI, then perhaps it's better people like them don't write afterall. IF you know what you are doing and your intentions are sincere, then please write, may Allah be with you. If you think that by you contacting a certain prisoner it could complicate their case or bring unnecessary attention to you and your household, then I ask Allah to guide you to the right decision and that you reconsider your idea.

"Earning Allah's reward doesn't come without sacrifice." This was a very good reminder, jazakillahu khayraa.

In the end I think the brothers and sisters in the UK have it easier when it comes to writing letters to prisoners, they write for a long time and still have not had unwanted visitors at their door because of it. Those of us in the US however, might have a slightly different situation. Especially when we write to prisoners out of this country. It's just something to think about for those who wish to write. And unless you live here and unless you have faced fitnah first hand by the Feds over here, I don't think you quite realize what I mean.

SubhanAllah, people find every excuse to avoid doing anything for these prisoners. Majority of the people are quite happy with just making dua. And when some manage to even try more than that, we instill fear in them to deter them.

A3oodhubillah from instilling fear of the kuffar into the hearts of Muslims. I believe that is an indication of lack of fear of Allah in the first place. If you're scared of writing already, and if you are under 18, or if you are a female writing to a male detainee, then I might even suggest you clue your parents in too. Tell them that you are choosing to write to a prisoner or that you already have and explain to them why you decided to do so.

Anyway that's my advice but Allah knows best.

[cageprisoners]

Assalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh

Jazaakillaahu Khaira sister musaafirah - to correct any misunderstanding, I did honestly believe that when you wrote your first post, it was not to discourage or deter anyone from writing, but rather to just make them aware of possible consequences or the reality.

Jazaakillaahu Khaira also for telling me about the reality in the US - it is very important for us to know this as we receive queries from individuals in the US regarding the safety of writing to prisoners. It is good for people to be aware of this, insha'Allah I hope not as a deterrent to writing - although it certainly have that effect as people are paranoid as it is - but simply to be aware and cautious if necessary. It would be important to know if this is an isolated case or if there are many examples of this occuring in the US. Sr. Muhaaribah you also mentioned this - "Yes there are people who are being questioned by the police for sending random letters of support to our fellow brothers and the police won’t get off their case." - do you know of others cases? Are these in the US or UK?

It is difficult comment without speaking to a lawyer in the US; however, what I understand from lawyers in the UK that there are no legal consequences in the UK for writing to a prisoner. However, the Intelligence Services may do some profiling, which can be a concern to people. To avoid this being more of a problem that it may seem I would again suggest if people are really concerned about the issue then to use a pseudonym, kunya, send from another locality (although I think the postmark is quite general).

One should note that this is not always possible (cannot comment on US or Canada) - certain UK prisons like Full Sutton and Belmarsh require a return address for mail to be delivered to a prisoner. They will not accept a PO box address (in case you are thinking of using our one!).

As I said if people are really concerned about this they could still email or post us letters for the families. But we do not have masses of people doing this - so fear is not the only issue, wa Allahu Alam.

Sr Musaafirah clearly had good intentions, but I think we should also acknowledge Ba-ba-Black Sheep's gheerah for the Muslims and fearlessness as well - as that is something that often goes unrecognised and is deserving of praise. Although her criticism may be misplaced, she is right in saying that most probably this will prevent more people from writing without perhaps a good reason in many cases, and Allah knows best.

Wassalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh

[musaafirah 57]

Assalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh

wa `alaykum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh,

Jazakillah khayr and thank you, as always, for your time and understanding.

[cageprisoners]

FRANCE

Monsieur Rabah KADRI
92 5466 D. III / c. 11
M.A. Fresnes
Allée des Thuyas
94 261 Fresnes Cedex
France


AUSTRIA

Mustapha LABSI
Polizeianhaltezentrum
Eisenstadt II,
Neusiedlerstraße 84,
7000 Austria

[AbuIlyaas]

Original post has been updated.

[Umm Hawaa Barayev]

Assalaamu 'alaykum

As far as I am aware - although I will try to get more details for you insha'Allah - the process for visting or receiving calls from prisoners in British prisons is the same:

- The prisoner has to make an application to the prison with your name, address, d.o.b and some other details, including your relationship to the prisoner e.g. 'friend'. So if you are not in touch with the prisoner you want to visit then start by corresponding with that prisoner over mail.

- The Prison Service and Police run a check on the person's background. This can include a police visit to your home (not a raid or a search, more like asking you some questions over a cup of tea).

- The entire vetting process can take anything between weeks and several months, depending on the prison, prisoner, applicant etc.

The process for visiting those under control orders is similar, except that you make the application to the Home Office (normally via the detainee's solicitor).

The prisoner then books a visit in the specified booking times - which are normally 7 days a week, I am not sure of the exact timings.

Perhaps I can get br.s Asim Qureshi or Adnan Siddiqui from our organisation to speak to you more about this as they have been vetted to visit prisoners alhamdulillaah

Wassalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh


Assalaamu'alaykum

JazaakAllah Khair ukhtee for the information, May I also add that the prison requires 2 passport sized pictures of you.

[edit]

[cageprisoners]

Amar Makhlulif has been moved from Belmarsh to Long Lartin
Prisoner no. is the same. Address for Long Lartin is in the original post.

Zia ul Haq is not in Belmarsh - trying to locate current prison address. Possibly Woodhill.

Wassalaamu 'alaykum