www.ciol.org.uk
JUDGEMENT DAY
Feelings of suspicion,
fear and even hatred
towards a client
accused of terrorism
need to be controlled
10 The Linguist Vol/56 No/4 2017
FEATURES
I
received a phone call from the police out of the blue
(excuse the pun), asking if I might be available at 2am
the next day. Somewhat surprised, I asked if he meant
2pm, but he assured me that the time was correct. He
then gave me directions to the building in Greater
Manchester where the job briefing was to be held.
Briefing; what briefing? He was less than forthcoming and
promised that all would be revealed the next day. I had
previously interpreted on early-morning raids with the
DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) and UK Border
Agency (UKBA), involving identity and benefit fraud, and
assumed that this job would be similar.
At 1am, I forced myself out of bed and into my work
clothes, and drove to the briefing venue, which was
ablaze with lights. Inside there were scores of uniformed
police officers and detectives, as well people in plain
clothes. I felt a vague stab of anxiety: what on earth was
going on? I was escorted into the building by the
Interpreter Liaison Officer (ILO), who introduced me to
an interpreter who spoke a language different to my
own and looked as bog-eyed and confused as I did. We
were then introduced to UKBA officers, who had just
arrived from London.
The briefing began at 3am. All of the undercover
officers were asked to stand to one side of the room so
that their identities wouldn't be revealed on the video
of the briefing. Instructions were then given regarding
a raid that was due to take place at 5am – the aim
of which was to 'lift' two suspected terrorists from a
local address!
Now fully awake, my fellow interpreter and I were
driven by the ILO to a back street near the target
property. The scene that greeted us was like something
out of a James Bond film: armed police everywhere!
What I remember most was the strange silence; not
even a curtain twitcher in sight.
Becoming the
voice of terror
Sue Leschen describes an unsettling assignment
interpreting for a suspected terrorist
IMAGES
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SHUTTERSTOCK
