Craig Murray (born October, 1958)^[1] is a British political activist, university rector and former ambassador to Uzbekistan. Activism, in a general sense, can be described as involvement in action to bring about change, be it social, political, environmental, or other change. ... The word rector (ruler, from the Latin regere) has a number of different meanings, but all of them indicate someone who is in charge of something. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ...

While in office, he accused the Karimov administration of human rights abuses, a step which, he argues, was against the wishes of the British government and the reason for his removal. Murray complained to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in November 2002, January or early February 2003, and in June 2004 that intelligence linking the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan to al-Qaeda, suspected of being gained through torture, was unreliable, immoral, and illegal.^[2] He described Her Majesty's Government as "selling our souls for dross".^[3] He was subsequently removed from his ambassadorial post on October 14, 2004. The Government of Uzbekistan takes place in a framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President of Uzbekistan is both head of state and head of government. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall, seen from St. ... The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) was a militant Islamist group formed in 1998 by former Soviet paratrooper Juma Namangani, and the Islamic ideologue Tohir Yuldashev - both ethnic Uzbeks from the Fergana Valley. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... Torture, according to international law, is any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has... Her Majestys Government, or when the Sovereign is male, His Majestys Government, abbreviated HMG or HM Government, is the formal title used by the Government of the United Kingdom. ... is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Background

Murray was educated at the Paston School in North Walsham, Norfolk ^[4], an all-boys grammar school where he had an undistinguished record. He says he barely gained entrance to the University of Dundee. There he attended few lectures, instead reading voraciously to teach himself history. He graduated in 1982 with a MA (Hons) 1st Class in Modern History. He was President of Dundee University Students' Association, elected to this sabbatical office twice (1982-1983 and 1983-1984), an occurrence so unusual that the university court changed the rules to stop him running a third time. He was reserve member of the team that won University Challenge in 1983.^[5] He spent seven years in total at the university, compared to a normal four for a Scottish first degree.^[6] Engraving of The New School House circa 1767 Paston College is a sixth form college in North Walsham, Norfolk, England. ... North Walsham is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. ... Norfolk (IPA: //) is a low-lying county in East Anglia in the east of southern England. ... A grammar school is a school that may, depending on regional usage as exemplified below, provide either secondary education or, a much less common usage, primary education (also known as elementary). Grammar schools trace their origins back to medieval Europe, as schools in which university preparatory subjects, such as Latin... The University of Dundee is the principal university in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee, Scotland. ... In a British students union a Sabbatical officer is a full-time officer elected by the students from their membership. ... University Challenge is a long-running British television quiz show, licensed and produced by Granada Television. ... A B.A. issused as a certificate Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelors degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both. ...

He joined the civil service in 1984. Until 2002, he worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Africa, apart from 1992 to 1997, when he was posted to Europe. He became head of the Cyprus section of the Foreign Office and head of the Maritime Section. He also led the Foreign Office team in the Embargo Surveillance Centre between 1990-91, responsible for analysing intelligence on Iraqi attempts to evade sanctions.^[7] In 2002, he became Ambassador to Uzbekistan, and was dismissed from that post in October 2004. ^[1] The Byzantine civil service in action. ... The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall, seen from St. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ...

In July 2004, he told The Guardian that "there is no point in having cocktail-party relationships with a fascist regime," and that "you don't have to be a pompous old fart to be an ambassador." He is separated from his wife Fiona, with whom he has two children.^[8] The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... Fascism (in Italian, fascismo), capitalized, was the authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. ...

Uzbekistan

In October 2002 Murray made a controversial speech at a human rights conference hosted by Freedom House in Tashkent, in which he claimed that "Uzbekistan is not a functioning democracy" and that the boiling to death of two members of Hizb ut-Tahrir "is not an isolated incident."^[9] Later, United Nations head Kofi Annan confronted Uzbek President Islom Karimov with Murray's claims.^[8] Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Freedom House is a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. and with field offices in about a dozen countries. ... Tashkent (Uzbek: , Russian: ) is the capital of Uzbekistan and also of the Tashkent Province. ... Hizb ut-Tahrir (Arabic: حزب التحرير; English: Party of Liberation) is an international, Sunni, pan-Islamist vanguard[2] political party whose goal is to unite all Muslim countries in a unitary Islamic state or caliphate, ruled by Islamic law and headed by an elected head of state (caliph). ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... Kofi Atta Annan (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 2007, serving two five-year terms. ... List of Presidents of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov (1991 - present) Last election See also Politics of Uzbekistan Categories: | | | ... Islom Abdug‘aniyevich Karimov (Russian: Ислам Абдуганиевич Каримов Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov) (born on 30 January 1938) has served as the President of Uzbekistan since 1991. ...

Murray was summoned to London and, on March 8, 2003, was reprimanded for writing, in a letter to his employers, in response to a speech by George W. Bush, "when it comes to the Karimov regime, systematic torture and rape appear to be treated as peccadilloes, not to affect the relationship and to be downplayed in the international fora ... I hope that once the present crisis is over we will make plain to the U.S., at senior level, our serious concern over their policy in Uzbekistan."^[10] This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from...

Discipline charges

In July 2003, some of his embassy staff were sacked while he was away on holiday. They were reinstated after he expressed his outrage to his bosses in the FCO. Later, during his holiday, he was recalled to London for disciplinary reasons. On August 21, 2003, he was confronted with 18 charges including "hiring dolly birds [pretty young women] for above the usual rate" for the visa department, though he claims that the department had an all-male staff, and granting UK visas in exchange for sex. He was told that discussing the charges would be a violation of the Official Secrets Act punishable by imprisonment. He was encouraged to resign.^[8] The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall, seen from St. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Entry visa valid in Schengen treaty countries. ... Official Secrets Act warning sign, Foulness. ...

He collapsed during a medical check in Tashkent on September 2, 2003 and was airlifted to St Thomas' Hospital in London. After an investigation by Tony Crombie, Head of the FCO's Overseas Territories Department, all but two of the charges (being drunk at work and misusing the embassy's Range Rover) were dropped. The charges were leaked to the press in October 2003.^[11] Immediately upon his return to work in November 2003, he suffered a near-fatal pulmonary embolism and was again flown back to London for medical treatment. In January 2004, the Foreign Office after a four month investigation exonerated him of all 18 charges, but reprimanded him for speaking about the charges. is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A [PC-12] of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. ... Saint Thomas’ Hospital. ... Tomy Crombie is the Commissioner for the British overseas territory BIOT (British Indian Ocean Territory). ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (almost exclusively Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... The Range Rover is the top luxury 4x4 (four wheel drive in British English) model of Land Rover. ...

Removal from post

Murray was removed from his post in October 2004, shortly after a leaked report in the Financial Times quoted him as claiming that MI6 used intelligence provided by Uzbek authorities through torture.^[12] The Foreign Office denied there was any direct connection and stated that Murray had been removed for "operational" reasons. It claimed that he had lost the confidence of senior officials and colleagues. The following day, in an interview on the Today programme, the BBC's flagship political radio show, Murray countered that he was a "victim of conscience," and in this and other interviews criticized the Foreign Office.^[13] A few days later he was charged with "gross misconduct" by the Foreign Office for criticizing it in public.^[14] Murray resigned from the Foreign Office in February 2005. The Financial Times (FT) is an international business newspaper printed on distinctive salmon pink broadsheet paper. ... The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), more commonly known as MI6 (originally Military Intelligence Section 6), or the Secret Service, is the United Kingdom external security agency. ... Today, sometimes referred to as the Today programme to avoid ambiguity, is BBC Radio 4s long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, which is now broadcast from 6am to 9am from Monday to Friday and from 7am to 9am on Saturdays. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ...

The threat of legal action has resulted in significant publicity along with a very large number of people mirroring the documents on their own websites, releasing them via peer to peer networks, and making them available various filesharing services.^{[citation needed]} A list of some current mirrors can be found in the post and comments at The Craig Murray Friends Blog.

Subsequent career

He has continued his opposition to the so-called War on Terror since leaving the Foreign Service. He sums up his current occupation: "Being a dissident is quite fun." ^[15] The war on terrorism or war on terror (abbreviated in U.S. policy circles as GWOT for Global War on Terror) is an effort by the governments of the United States and its principal allies to destroy groups deemed to be terrorist (primarily radical Islamist organizations such as al-Qaeda...

He stood for parliament in Blackburn, as an independent candidate, against his former boss Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in the May 2005 general election. He polled 2,082 votes.^[1] Type Bicameral Houses House of Commons House of Lords Speaker of the House of Commons The Right Honourable Michael Martin MP Lord Speaker Hélène Hayman, Baroness Hayman, PC Members 1377 (646 Commons, 731 Peers) Political groups (as of May 5, 2005 elections) Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats... Location within the British Isles. ... The title of Foreign Secretary has been traditionally used to refer to the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. ... John Whitaker Straw (born August 3, 1946) is a British Labour Party politician. ... It has been suggested that Marginal constituencies in the United Kingdom be merged into this article or section. ...

In November 2005, he took part in the Axis for Peace Conference in Brussels.^[16] Axis for Peace is an initiative of Voltaire Network to set up an anti-imperialist intellectual movement capable of opposing neoconservatives. ...

In December 2005, he published a number of confidential memos on his website, which outlined his condemnation of intelligence procured under torture, and the UK government's ambivalence to this. The British government subsequently claimed copyright over the documents and demanded they be removed. ^[17]

He has written a book entitled Murder in Samarkand - A British Ambassador's Controversial Defiance of Tyranny in the War on Terror.^[18] This book is to be filmed by Michael Winterbottom with a script by David Hare. Michael Winterbottom (b. ... David Hare (born June 5, 1947) is an English dramatist and director. ...

A character based on him appears in the 2006 UK-U.S. television co-production The State Within, in which the former British ambassador to the fictional country of Tyrgyzstan, a hard-drinking womanizer, is embroiled in a plot to stop human rights abuses amid escalating threats of war. The State Within is a 2006 British television drama starring Jason Isaacs, Sharon Gless and Ben Daniels. ...

On 16 February 2007 he was elected to the position of rector at the University of Dundee, his alma mater. The other nominee was former Scotland rugby captain Andy Nicol.^[19] Murray opposes cuts to University departments and services which were proposed in a document drafted by a working group chaired by the outgoing Dean of the School of Engineering, Professor Michael Davies. The election saw an increase in turnout of 50% from the previous election, with Murray winning by 632 votes to 582. Coincidentally, Murray was in the same class at his secondary school as actor Stephen Fry, who also held the title of Dundee's Rector^[20]. February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... The word rector (ruler, from the Latin regere) has a number of different meanings, but all of them indicate someone who is in charge of something. ... The University of Dundee is the principal university in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee, Scotland. ... Andy Nicol, rugby player, was the first British player to lift the Heineken Cup as captain of Bath Rugby. ... Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English comedian, writer, actor, novelist, filmmaker and television personality. ...

In July 2007 he was elected an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Lancaster School of Law. Lancaster University is a campus university located about three miles south of Lancaster, England. ...

Awards

In recognition of his campaigning work on torture and human rights he was awarded the Sam Adams Award for Integrity in Intelligence in the spring of 2006. ^[21].

In November 2006 he was awarded the Premio Alo Qualita Della Citta of Bologna ^[22]. Bologna (IPA , from Latin Bononia, Bulåggna in Emiliano-Romagnolo dialect) is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, in the Pianura Padana, between the Po River and the Apennines, exactly between the Reno River and the Sàvena River. ...

Views

During an interview with Alex Jones on August 21, 2006, regarding torture and the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot, he claimed that false intelligence on al-Qaeda plots was obtained through torture done by CIA proxies and that the intelligence gained is used as a propaganda tool.[2] Alexander Emerick Jones (born February 11, 1974) is an American radio host and filmmaker who is best known for his work in exposing state-sponsored terrorism. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Police at the scene of one of the raids, on Forest Road, Walthamstow, London. ... Intelligence (abbreviated or ) is the process and the result of gathering information and analyzing it to answer questions or obtain advance warnings needed to plan for the future. ... Torture, according to international law, is any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... A proxy server is a computer network service which allows clients to make indirect network connections to other network services. ... Soviet Propaganda Poster during the World War II. The text reads Red Army Fighter, SAVE US! Chinese propaganda poster from during the Cultural Revolution. ...

He recently expressed views on the character of Alisher Usmanov, in light of Usmanov's plans to serve as chairperson of Arsenal footbal club. The posting had to be removed from his web site due to intervention from Usmanov's lawyers.

References

The University of Dundee is the principal university in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee, Scotland. ... The Scotsmans offices in Edinburgh The Scotsman is a Scottish national newspaper, published in Edinburgh. ...

Murray

• Craig Murray's website
  • Timeline of Craig Murray's ambassadorship in Uzbekistan
• Speech at Chatham House (PDF) - Monday 8 November 2004
• British Embassy, Tashkent Press And Public Affairs - links to some speeches and interviews
• The Uses of Torture - Speech transcript, February 2005
• Video : Testimony at Axis for Peace Conference, November 2005
• Amy Goodman. Craig Murray on why he posted classified memos, Democracy Now, 19 January 2006.
• Copy of July 2004 telegram.
• Bush Commission, International Commission of Inquiry on Crimes Against Humanity Committed by the Bush Administration.
• Craig Murray's Campaign in Blackburn
  • Craig Murray's campaign song "Hit The Road Jack Straw"
  • Postman Patel and his dog Jack
  • British branch of Uzbek opposition political party Hizb ut-Tahrir
  • LFCM
• Murder in Samarkand by Craig Murray
• Her Majesty's Man in Tashkent by Craig Murray, 3 September 2006, Washington Post

• Audio from the Stop The War Conference Scotland 2007: Craig Murray 15 February 2007, Progressive Podcast

The Portable Document Format (PDF) is the file format created by Adobe Systems in 1993 for document exchange. ... is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Democracy Now! is an independent, award-winning news and opinion radio program airing on over 300 stations across North America every weekday, as well as both satellite television networks. ... January 19 is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

Press

News

• The envoy who said too much from The Guardian, 18 October 2003
• The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 29 March 2005 - Uzbekistan - Torture Trail
• The BBC
  • 2 October 2003 - British envoy leaves Uzbekistan
  • 8 November 2003 - 'Smeared' UK envoy's return urged
  • 12 November 2003 - Envoy to resume Uzbekistan post
  • 15 November 2003 - UK envoy back at work in Tashkent
  • 20 November 2003 - Uzbekistan ambassador back in UK
  • 11 October 2004 - 'Torture intelligence' criticised
  • 6 May 2005 - Murray's election result
• Muslim Uzbekistan
  • 6 October 2003 - Has The Hand Of Uzbek Dictator Reached London?
  • 19 October 2003 - Repression In Uzbekistan Is 'Terrible' Says Short Backing Envoy Who Criticised U.S.
  • 25 October 2003 - Uzbekistan: British Diplomat Quits At Strife-Ridden Embassy
  • 7 November 2003 - UK-Uzbekistan: FO Backs Down Over Envoy's Sacking
  • 24 January 2004 - UK's Embattled Envoy To Tashkent Cleared Of Charges
  • 1 March 2004 - The Undiplomatic Ambassador
  • 5 May 2004 - British Envoy Blasts Uzbek Government
• The Registan's controversial view of the Murray debacle See also: A young Uzbek woman's reflection on the Murray controversy at Thinking-East.Net
• Uzbekistan's human rights record, from Amnesty International
• Press freedom conditions in Uzbekistan - IFEX
• Hitting a Nerve, 17 August 2006, CounterPunch.

The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Australian Broadcasting Corporation or ABC is Australias national non-profit public broadcaster. ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... is the 275th day of the year (276th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... International Freedom of Expression eXchange. ... is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Counterpunch can refer to: In traditional typography, a counterpunch is a type of punch used to create the negative space in or around a character. ...

Profiles

• 30 November 2006. Overview of his education from primary school to university, in the education supplement of The Independent.

is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Independent is a British compact newspaper published by Tony OReillys Independent News & Media. ...

Leaked documents

• International of Torture: The Documents the Crown Would Like to Censor