Newcastle Forum for Human Rights and Social Justice
Conference – After Bin Laden: Counter-Terrorism Co-operation and International Law
Date: 2 May 2012, Newcastle Law School, Newcastle University, UK.
Plenary Speakers
Professor Ian Leigh (Durham University)
Professor Shaun Gregory (Bradford University)
Dr Tom Hickman (Blackstone Chambers)
Dr Troy Lavers (Leicester University)
This conference will examine the fragile web of positive obligations which international law weaves in relation to counter-terrorism co-operation. Whilst recent UK governments have stressed the erga omnes nature of obligations to share information in the fields of security and intelligence, such general obligations remain nascent, placing a large burden on bilateral agreements with countries such as Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Egypt and Pakistan. Many of these countries have threatened co-operation arrangements with the UK for geo-political advantage or made intelligence sharing conditional upon overseas aid or information regarding domestic dissidents. In some cases, their actions have drawn the UK into complicity in breaches of the Torture Convention. Moreover, in the context of Pakistan in particular, in the wake of the killing of Osama bin Laden in a compound in the Pakistani garrison-town of Abbottabad, fresh questions have been raised as to the value of counter-terrorism co-operation in spite of the extensive resources invested by countries such as the UK and USA in contacts with the Pakistani intelligence services (the ISI). We consider that the current security climate prevailing after the Abbottabad raid (in particular with regard to ISAF incursions into Pakistan in the last month and the subsequent downgrading of security co-operation, together with recent revelations of the extent of the UK's cooperation with the security services of Libya under Colonel Gaddafi) provide a valuable opportunity for academics working in the fields of security, international relations, humanitarian law and international law to consider the weaknesses in the framework of international security cooperation.
Abstracts are now being considered for papers to be included in the conference programme. Please email your abstract (max 150 words) to the conference organisers (tom.frost@ncl.ac.uk and colin.murray@ncl.ac.uk) by the 24 February 2012, for consideration by the organising committee. Proposals should relate to one of the following streams:
The UK and Counter-Terrorism Co-operation
Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism Co-operation
Humanitarian Law and Counter-Terrorism Co-operation
A special issue of the Journal of Conflict and Security Law, under the theme of Counter-Terrorism Co-operation and International Law will be published in 2013. All conference papers will be considered for publication in this special issue, subject to the normal peer review process.
There are no conference fees and a buffet lunch and refreshments will be provided for delegates. For further details and registration, please contact Dr Tom Frost and Mr Colin Murray (tom.frost@ncl.ac.uk and colin.murray@ncl.ac.uk). A conference timetable should be available from this website in mid-March.
The conference will be hosted by Newcastle Law School, 21-24 Windsor Terrace, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU.