CIA, MI6 vs terrorism my trip to Sheffield, South Yorkshire

In 2016, Professor Blakeley and another scholar published a journal article—‘British torture in the “war on terror”’, and stated that ‘we can now provide the most detailed account to date of the depth of this involvement’. This makes academic work more exciting and appealing to read for the general public. As we know, after 911—a series of terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001—the terrorist has become the ‘Enemy of the state’. Is the enemy a ‘home-grown terrorist? Or he/she is from outside the country?

This Wednesday, I visited the University of Sheffield, one of The White Rose University Consortium: Leeds, Sheffield and York, to listen to Professor Blakeley’s extraordinary research experience about how CIA and MI6 use cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment in post-9/11 prisoner abuse in order to investigate terrorism.

In general, human rights organisations are willing to give the interviewer a hand to access the victim information. However, my question is how to build up the relationship with CIA, MI6, MI5 and other sectors which involved in investigating terror attacks. Instead of understanding the relationship between terrorism and political violence, I would say that I am curious about how Professor Blakeley successfully had access to CIA, and MI6 and interview ‘James Bond’ and terrorists.  However, I have to say I did not have had a satisfying answer for that, perhaps it cannot be revealed in public.

After her speech, I strolled around the campus. Although it was a quirky day while I stay in Sheffield as the weather was very changeable with alternate rain and sunshine, the city tour is good. The University of Sheffield is located in the hill within 30-minute walk from the train station linked with Sheaf Square. And the Cutting Edge water and fountain outside the train station provide a stunning entrance to the city centre.

Sheffield train station in the morning

the Cutting Edge water and fountain in the evening

The way to the main campus, I walked through beautiful school buildings, and a pretty park: Weston Park and museum is within campus areas. 

Weston Park and museum

Particularly, the Arts Tower which belongs to the university has been praised by English Heritage as "the most elegant university tower block in Britain of its period".  But what a pity, I forgot to take the lift to the top of the building to have a bird's-eye view of the city.

Arts Tower

 

a small London eye standing on the city street

2016年，布萊克利教授和另一位學者發表了一篇期刊文章 - “’在“反恐戰爭”中“英國酷刑”，並指出“我們現在可以提供迄今為止最詳細的關於涉入事件深度的報導”。這使得學術工作更加刺激，並吸引大眾閱讀。據我們所知，在911-2001年美國發生一系列恐怖襲擊事件-後，恐怖主義已成為“國家的敵人”。 這個敵人是“本土恐怖分子”嗎？ 或者他/她來自國外？

這週三，我到謝菲爾德聽布萊克萊教授發表有關她研究美國中央情報局和軍情六處如何濫用殘酷，不人道或有辱人格的待遇和懲罰對待在9/11事件後囚犯,以調查恐怖主義的非凡經驗。

一般來說，人權組織願意提供訪問人士受害者資料。然而，我的問題是如何建立與中央情報局，軍情六處，軍情五處以及涉入恐怖攻擊調查的其他部門的關係。與其說我要理解恐怖主義和政治暴力之間的關係，我覺得我是很好奇她如何和中央情報局，聯邦調查局或軍情六處成功地交涉，並採訪007及恐怖分子。然而，我不得不說，我沒有得到滿意的答案，也許它的密訣不能公開透露。

演講結束後，我漫步在校園。 雖然當我待在謝菲爾德時過了一個古怪的日子，忽雨忽晴的，天氣變化很大。但城市之旅很不錯。謝菲爾德大學坐落在距離與Sheaf Square相連的火車站30分鐘步行路程內的山坡上。而火車站外前衛的水瀑和噴泉提供了一個令人驚嘆的市中心入口。

通往主校區的路上，我走過美麗的校園建築物，還有一個美麗的公園：韋斯頓公園和博物館位於校園區內。特別是,隸屬於大學的藝術大樓被英國文化遺產部評為“英國最優雅的大學時代大廈”。但可惜的是，我忘了乘電梯到大樓頂部鳥瞰城市了。