Guardian: Call to reinstate Rod Thornton

"REINSTATE DR ROD THORNTON", DECLARE WORLD SCHOLARS AHEAD OF PROTEST

In a letter published by The Guardian on May 10 2011 [1], 70 leading academics and scholars from across the world, including Professors Noam Chomsky, Neera Chandhoke, Paul Gilroy and Charles Tripp, have called for the reinstatement of Dr. Rod Thornton (QGM) with immediate effect. This letter comes ahead of Thursday's (12 May) planned protest at the University of Nottingham (at 12 noon) calling for a public enquiry.

Dr Thornton was suspended for producing whistle-blowing research [2] that exposed the University of Nottingham‟s actions which led to the wrongful arrest of the "Nottingham Two‟ as suspected terrorists for possessing 3 documents available in the university‟s own library. It also reveals how senior figures attempted to remove the MA student, Rizwaan Sabir, from the university after his release.

The research paper - "How a student’s use of a library book became a “major Islamist plot” - uncovers how Nottingham University's misinformation has seeped into policy circles. The arrest of the 'Nottingham Two' is now advertised as a 'major Islamist plot' by the Home Office [3] Another government department calls the library books in question “extremist material" [4].

Dr Thornton, a former advisor to the UK & US militaries said: “I want to thank the signatories for their belief and support in this difficult time and would welcome my reinstatement and, especially, an independent inquiry.”.

A S.W.A.N (Supporting the Whistleblower At Nottingham) campaign spokesperson said: "This report raises some very serious issues and must not be ignored. The university‟s whistle-blowers code protects Dr Thornton from suspension. He must be reinstated. A public enquiry must be launched."

Dr Thornton‟s article has had 10,000+ hits so far.

NOTE TO EDITORS

[1] The letter to the Guardian can be accessed here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2011/may/10/call-to-reinstate-terror-academci

[2] A 5 page Key Findings report has now also been released. It can be accessed here -
http://www.scribd.com/doc/55057018/KEY-FINDINGS-THE-EXPOSE-THAT-NOTTINGHAM-UNI-WISHES-YOU-NEVER-READ

[3] The document which refers to the arrest of the “Nottingham Two” as a "major Islamist plot" was disseminated by the Home Office in April 2010 via a Freedom of Information request that asked for information on terror plots in the UK from 2006-2008. The report was authored by the Heritage Foundation in Oct 2009 http://s3.amazonaws.com/thf_media/2009/pdf/bg2329.pdf

[4] Undated document released under the Freedom of Information Act from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) entitled “Lines to take [to the media] on recent Nottingham arrests”. See footnote 90 and 313 of Dr. Thornton‟s article.