The Halawa Case - Sorting Facts from Fantasy

acb121 · 11-11-2015 11:53am #1

The case of the Halawa family, Dublin residents with Egyptian parentage, whose father is Sheik Hussein Halawa, iman of Clonskeagh Mosque, has generated huge column inches and has embroiled Ireland in an international diplomatic situation.

The Republic of Ireland has been drawn into a diplomatic situation with Egypt, which touches on democracy and international Islamism.

Mr Halawa is an important public figure. He is the most prominent and influential iman in Ireland and has been invited to "represent" Ireland's resident Muslims at various national events.

Questions have been raised in The Dail and in the European Parliament.

The Irish Consular Service has been involved in providing immense support and weekly visits to the remaining member of the Halawa family still held in Egypt, Ibrahim Halawa, who may, or not be the only Irish born of the 7 siblings.

Politically motivated and publically funded NGO organisations such as Amnesty and Clive Stafford Smith's Reprieve have become involved.

British politicians including Tony Blair and David Cameron have been requested to become involved.

The saga has dragged on

But the Irish media have done a shoddy job, taking the conflicting and ever changing stories of the Halawa family and printing them as fact.

This thread is not for any personal opinions. Please do not post any personal opinions.

This thread is not for any discussion. Please do not discuss any of the information presented.

This thread is not for squabbles or name calling or accusations of "racism".

This thread is simply to examine the Irish media reports, mostly based on "claims" made by various members of the Halawa family.

It's an important case. Lets just sort the facts from the fantasy.

What circumstances led them to be involved and subsequently detained in the Mosque ?

Are they an "Irish Family" ?

Is Ibrahim on Hunger Strike ?

Are the siblings banned from visiting Egypt ? If so, why ?

No discussion. No disagreement. Just an examination of the various claims made, and evidence to substantiate or disprove those claims.

Lets keep it civil and factual. No discussing. Just establishing the facts from the fantasy.

acb121 · 11-11-2015 11:53am

IBRAHIM'S " HUNGER STRIKES "

6th April 2014

" She said her brother had considered "a couple of times" going on hunger strike, but decided against it because of fear of extreme violence from prison guards. Omaima added: "Those that go ahead with it are physically tortured in a horrific way. It took my mom a while to convince him not to go through with it because they're capable of anything. "He's still considering it as he waits for a hearing to be decided."

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-teen-locked-up-in-egypt-jail-fears-execution-30158991.html

17th August 2014

Somaia Halawa told the Irish broadcaster RTÉ that Ibrahim went on hunger strike in the middle of last week, and has vowed to drink only water until his freedom has been secured. She claimed the Irish government, and in particular, the European Union could end his hunger strike immediately by using their powers to guarantee his release. Ms Halawa said: "Ibrahim will not stop this strike. This is his only, last resort."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28825765

17th August 2014

AN IRISH TEENAGER who has been in an Egyptian prison for a year is on hunger strike, his sister has confirmed. Speaking to RTÉ News, his sister Somaia said her brother has been on strike since Tuesday. She said he would only drink water until his release. “Ibrahim will not stop this strike. This is his only; last resort.

http://www.thejournal.ie/ibrahim-halawa-on-hunger-strike-in-egypt-1624734-Aug2014/

18th August 2014

THE SISTER OF an Irish teenager who has been in an Egyptian prison for a year says her brother was stripped naked and beaten with a metal chain on Saturday. Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast Nosayba Halawa said she had gone to visit her brother, Ibrahim Halawa, in prison yesterday. The judge in the case walked out of court on Tuesday, saying he could not stand over the trial. Since then, Ibrahim has been on hunger strike.

http://www.thejournal.ie/ibrahim-halawa-beaten-metal-chain-prison-1625827-Aug2014/

31st August 2014

A Dublin teenager who has spent over a year imprisoned without charge in Egypt has ended the hunger strike he started two weeks ago. 18-year-old Ibrahim Halawa ended his strike following an emotional plea from his father, Sheikh Hussein Halawa, Ireland's most senior Muslim cleric and Imam of the Islamic Cultural Centre in Clonskeagh. Ibrahim went on hunger strike after his mass trial was abandoned earlier this month.

https://www.newstalk.com/Irish-teenager-ends-hunger-strike-in-Egypt

11th November 2014

6th January 2015

Irish teen Ibrahim Halawa ‘considering hunger strike’ as trial postponed again. “I had heard that he was considering a hunger strike,” the Reprieve spokesperson said this morning.

http://www.thejournal.ie/ibrahim-halawa-trial-1866540-Jan2015/

6th January 2015

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan has said the Government could seek a presidential pardon for Ibrahim Hawala once his trail has concluded. Speaking in the Dáil this evening the minister also urged the 19-year-old to end his hunger strike and to maintain his health. His sister, Fatima Hawala, said her brother began a hunger strike three days ago in a last bid to secure his freedom. "It wasn't his first time to think about the hunger strike. Before he tried to do it, he thought about it twice and he was planning to do it. "Me and my mother managed to stop him from doing it and we told him 'it's going to harm your body, it's going to harm you', but this time my mum tried and he refused.

Embassy officials attended the most recent hearing on 3 June, and visited Mr Halawa for the 41st time on Monday 8 June, Mr Flanagan said. Mr Kenny told reporters he had to be very careful not to do or say anything that would make the situation worse for Mr Halawa. He said there had been 40 visits from the Irish Consular Office in Cairo and that while he was very conscious of Mr Halawa's circumstances, he was also conscious that whether he liked it or not, it is the legal system of Egypt that applies in this case.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0611/707403-egypt-ibrahim-halawa/

5th February 2015

On Thursday, his sister Somaia told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme she welcomed Mr Greste's release, and said the journalist had helped keep her brother's spirit up in the cells "he told us how Peter taught him to cook "'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-31155557

12th June 2015

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan were told last week that Ibrahim Halawa, the Irish teenager detained in Egypt for almost two years, was considering hunger strike. They were informed at a meeting with his father and two of his sisters and appealed for him to reconsider. Mr Halawa’s decision to go on hunger strike, in a move designed to highlight his plight in Egyptian custody where he has been since August 2013, was outlined in a letter smuggled from prison and released to The Irish Times.

considering

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/taoiseach-told-of-ibrahim-halawa-hunger-strike-last-week-1.2246654

23rd June 2015

" Ibrahim Halawa, the Irish teenager who has been awaiting trial for two years in an Egyptian jail, is still on hunger strike, according to family members. The 19-year-old from Firhouse in Dublin wrote in a letter, smuggled from jail over two weeks ago, that he had decided to go on hunger strike until he is allowed return home to Ireland. "

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/ibrahim-halawa-still-on-hunger-strike-says-sister-1.2260152