Tory MP brother of Bali bombing victim hits out at 'tasteless' bath bombs made in support of Guantanamo Bay prisoners

Tory MP Tobias Ellwood lost his brother in the Bali bombing and has hit out at Lush for its new promotion

A Tory MP whose brother was killed in the Bali bombings has spoken in disgust at "tasteless" bath bombs made in support of Guantanamo Bay prisoners.

Cosmetics firm Lush have made the controversial products alongside human rights lawyers to highlight the plight of the detainees there.

The bomb is orange to represent the prison camp's jump-suit uniforms. Once it is dissolved in the bath a waterproof photo of an Arabic prisoner is found inside.

Money raised from the bombs will go to the human rights organisation Reprieve, which supports the detainees and has the Channel 4 newsreader Jon Snow as a patron.

But the product has angered Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood who claims it is a "tasteless" publicity stunt.

Mr Ellwood's brother Jonathan was killed when terrorists detonated three bombs in the Indonesian island of Bali in 2002.

Prime suspect Riduan Isamuddin, also known as Hambali, was captured by the CIA a year later and has been held at Guantanamo Bay ever since.

Mr Ellwood has himself been campaigning for the closure of the controversial Cuban camp and wants Hambali to stand trial and face justice.

Guantanamo Camp Delta, where hundreds of terrorism suspects are held in what human rights groups describe as 'inhumane' conditions

Mr Ellwood, the MP for Bournemouth East, said: "My brother was killed in the Bali bombings and the guy responsible is being held at Guantanamo Bay.

"His name is Hambali and he has been there since he was picked up a few years ago.

"I am calling for the closure of Guantanamo Bay and like Lush, I want the prisoners to have a fair trial. I want Hambali to be properly punished for what he did.

"Why are Lush doing this? Is it because they want to promote themselves by using a controversial subject or is it because they have a genuine concern for the prisoners of Guantanamo Bay?

"I suggest it is the former rather than the latter. I think the whole idea is tasteless.

"I imagine the target audience who buys Lush products are relatively young.

"There must be better ways of educating younger generations on international terrorism rather than Lush making a tacky bath bomb."

The 'fizzing' bath bomb, called Guantanamo Garden, was created by Lush co-founders Mark and Mo Constantine.

They decided to support the camp's detainees after meeting Clive Stafford Smith, a human rights lawyer and director of Reprieve.

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Over 200 people died in the Bali bomb blasts

The bath bomb campaign aims to highlight the cases of all detainees, in particular Sami Al Haj, an Al Jazeera News cameraman, and British citizen Binyam Mohamed.

Mr Al Haj was arrested by Pakistani authorities while trying to enter Afghanistan with his TV crew in December 2001.

He is accused of having links with al-Qaeda.

Ethiopian-born Mr Mohamed came to Britain in 1994 but was arrested in Pakistan in 2001. Reprieve claim he was detained for violating his passport but the US authorities allege he went to Afghanistan to train in a paramilitary al-Qaeda camp.

Lush launched the bath bomb campaign after being approached by Reprieve, which came up with the idea.

Andrew Butler, campaigns manager for Lush, admitted the company had concerns about the issue.

He said: "It was the head of the human rights charity Reprieve that asked Lush to create a speciality bath ballistic to help raise awareness of the issue.

"As a company we did have concerns over raising awareness about Guantanamo Bay through a bath product.

"But in the end it was the charity Reprieve, and the prisoners in Guantanamo, that convinced us to move ahead.

"One hundred per cent of the proceeds, minus the VAT, from the Guantanamo Garden ballistic goes directly to Reprieve.

"It will help them shine a spotlight on the fact that most prisoners there have never been formally charged with a crime and many have been tortured."

Decorated with the peace symbol of a white dove on the top, the bombs are being made at the Lush factories in Poole, Dorset, and are on sell throughout March.

Inside the 2.95 pounds product is a hidden cartoon picture of either Sami Al Haj or Binyam Mohamed that is left floating in the bath.

So far the bombs have raised £8,727 towards Reprieve, which is also inviting donations from customers.

A leaflet handed out in Lush stores alongside the bombs states: "Reprieve uses the law to enforce the human rights of prisoners from death row to Guantanamo Bay.

"We investigate, we litigate and we educate.

"Working on the frontline, we provide legal support to prisoners unable to pay for it themselves.

"Ten pounds helps put an investigator on the ground in Africa to track down a secret prison.

"One hundred pounds pays for assistance with translation of statements about torture and abuse.

"Five hundred pounds purchases a flight to visit prisoners in Guantanamo Bay."


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