THE HELLISH INJUSTICE OF MAJOR BILL SHAW MBE, THE BRITON LOCKED UP WITH THE TALIBAN

THE DAILY MAIL - NADENE GHOURI

He served with distinction for 28 years. Yet now Major Shaw languishes in the Afghan Alcatraz on trumped-up charges, mourned by his family and a target for the Al-Qaeda inmates.

The first, former paratrooper Anthony Malone, is there because he allegedly owes money. The second man, former British Army major Bill Shaw MBE, is there because he fell foul of the semi-official system of corruption by which Afghanistan functions today.

Rebecca Shaeffer from human-rights charity Fair Trials International says she has 'serious concerns' about Malone's case. 'In particular, I'm worried about his lack of access to independent legal counsel, to an interpreter, to written explanations of the charges and evidence against him, and his inability to call witnesses and present evidence in his defence. We are also concerned that he appears to have been given a prison sentence for non-payment of a debt, which would be a clear violation of international law.'