The ye ar of physics Going underground New year nightlife Flying daggers Celebrating science in 2005, The Caving Club’s ex pedition Ringing in 2005 with some Felix Film takes in a page 7 to Slovenia, page 11 psy-trance, page 14 beautiful movie, page 16 The student newspaper of Imperial College ● Established 1949 ● Issue 1310 ● Thursday 6 January 2005 ● www.felixonline.co.uk The tsunami On Boxing Day, countries sur- rounding the Indian Ocean Union will campaign to free former were struck by one of the worst natural disasters in history. student imprisoned under terror laws There are six articles on the tragedy, including details of Imperial College’s response By Dave Edwards and how an early warning Editor system could have saved thousands of lives. Imperial College Union has uNEWS page 2 resolved to actively support u SCIENCE page 7 the ‘Free Babar Ahmad’ cam- paign. Library loss? Mr Ahmad, a former stu- The popular mechanical engi- dent and staff member at neering department library Imperial College, was arrest- and reading room may close ed in December 2003 under in the near future. The area the Terrorism Act [see Felix is seen as “a potential solu- issue 1279] and subsequently tion to a series of conflicting released without charge. He demands for space”. was rearrested in August this uNEWS page 4 year on allegations of involve- ment in acts of terrorism and Accountability is currently awaiting extradi- The Imperial College Union tion to the United States. His President and other offic- case is due to be reviewed in ers have been criticised for the near future. a perceived lack of account- Mr Ahmad’s supporters ability and communication. believe that he was abused Students raised serious con- by police while in custody, his cerns about the way in which human rights may be under the Union has been run so far threat if he is extradited, and this year. he should be given a fair trial uNEWS page 3 in the UK. At a Union Council meeting Dangerous Devils at the end of last term, when One ice hockey match, three the decision was made, Colin fights. Smith, the Union’s Welfare uSPORT page 20 Campaigns Officer and one of the motion’s many seconders, was ejected after shouting obscenities when it appeared that the proposal supporting Mr Ahmad was about to fall. Clockwise from top left: Kareem Osman makes his case for why Imperial College Union should campaign to free former In a moment of high drama, student Babar Ahmad; the Council considers the proposal; security guards surround Colin Smith (third from left) after Mr Smith called the Council he is asked to leave the meeting; some of Mr Ahmad’s many supporters gather to discuss the issue “a f***ing disgrace” and was asked to leave by Danny Simon Rawson, Chair of bers abstained from voting, however, argued that the tion into the alleged assault Sharpe, chair of the meeting. the Arts and Entertainments probably due to a reluctance Union’s backing was neces- on Babar [Ahmad] by the Mr Smith initially refused to Board, added: “I don’t disa- to engage in a campaign they sary and appropriate because police officers who arrested The IC Devils leave the room, and at one gree with this policy, but I feel viewed as political and not Mr Ahmad had studied and him”, “to campaign for his stage a total of eight College deeply uncomfortable about directly affecting current worked at Imperial, and human rights to be respected security officers were present the Union politicising itself in Imperial College students. because any current student in court proceedings” and for THIS WEEK as various people attempted this way.” The paper’s supporters, could potentially suffer simi- Mr Ahmad to be given a fair News page 2 to defuse the situation. Mr Smith, before his depar- lar problems in the future. trial in the UK. Science page 6 The meeting was adjourned, ture, had referred to the large Mr Smith later called the Several Union clubs and Comment page 8 Mr Smith finally left, and number of people attending decision to campaign for Mr societies have already begun the Council then voted on a the meeting in support of Ahmad’s release “a victory to campaign on Mr Ahmad’s Letters page 10 proposal to not consider the Mr Ahmad: “By the strength for democracy”. behalf, and a week of events What’s On page 12 Babar Ahmad paper due to its of feeling in this room, we The Union also resolved has been scheduled for Nightlife page 14 “inherently political nature”. owe it to everyone who has to “ensure that any form of February. Arts page 15 John Collins, President of turned up here to vote on this discrimination experienced Film page 16 the City and Guilds College motion”. by Imperial College students, ● Editorial, page 9 Coffee Break page 18 Union, said: “My members Eventually, the motion both on and off campus, is ● Colin Smith, page 9 ● Sport page 19 say that the Union should not was considered and passed, dealt with thoroughly”, “to Letters to the Editor, take a political stance.” though most Council mem- Babar Ahmad in custody campaign for a full investiga- page 10 Felix 2 www.felixonline.co.uk Thursday 6 January 2005 NEWS: TSUNAMI [email protected] Issue 1310 Indian Ocean struck by one of Editor Dave Edwards Business Editor world’s worst natural disasters Numaan Chaudhry Science Editor By Emily Gwyer Indonesia, India and Sri reached 140,000 and the tsunami, as the College has Eurasian plates of the Earth’s Darius Nikbin and Dave Edwards Lanka, it became clear that number of people left home- significant numbers of stu- crust. A series of huge waves this was a serious disaster. less has grown to five million. dents from several of the then spread across a large Music Editor At 1am on Boxing Day, an In the hours and days that The aid that has been so gen- affected countries, includ- portion of the Indian Ocean. Andrew Sykes earthquake in the Indian followed, we realised it was erously donated is only just ing Sri Lanka, India and The worst affected countries Ocean sparked off the possibly the worst ever, the reaching the survivors, as Thailand. However, with tens were Indonesia – with over Nightlife Editor most dangerous tsunami for wave so powerful that it even the infrastructure for deliv- of thousands of people still 94,000 confirmed dead – and Simon Clark decades. hit the shores of Africa. ery has been washed away. missing and the spring term Sri Lanka. As the wave rolled on As Felix goes to press, The lack of clean water and only just begun, it is impos- ● Donate online to the Arts Editor towards the shores of the death toll has officially sanitation mean that cholera sible to judge the disaster’s Tsunami Earthquake Paola Smith and typhoid are serious risks, impact on the Imperial popu- Appeal at dec.org.uk which could further increase lation at this stage. Books Editor the number of dead. The tsunami was caused ● Forces of nature: how Martin Smith Dramatic scenes have by the biggest earthquake tsunamis form, page 7 been witnessed on televi- for 40 years, which occurred ● Science, religion and Film Editor sion screens throughout the between the Australian and history repeated, page 7 Alan Ng world, as people in the affect- Games Editor ed regions struggle for sur- Alex McKitrick vival and scramble for food supplies. Felix After teasing ourselves with Early warning Beit Quad disaster movies for years, we Prince Consort Road were finally faced with the London SW7 2BB real thing and realised the full horror. No-one could out- system could Telephone: 020 7594 8072 run this wave or save their Email: [email protected] sweetheart, there was no dra- Web: www.felixonline.co.uk matic music, and the leaders of the world did not all rally have saved lives Registered newspaper round immediately. Science ISSN 1040-0711 did not win the day, and there By Tom Simonite few hours. Less specific Copyright © Felix 2005 was no early warning system Science writer warnings and timings are to limit the number of victims. issued for an area defined Printed by Sharman and The wave just quietly rolled The human cost of the by the distance the tsunami Company, Peterborough on and on, sweeping up eve- submarine earthquake on could travel in a subsequent rything in its path. Boxing Day is still being time period. If equipment Jack Straw, the Foreign counted. No-one was monitoring sea levels actu- Secretary, said that 199 expecting the quake or the ally detects a tsunami wave Britons are “highly likely” to subsequent wall of water, then a wider warning is have died in the disaster. Mr but thousands of lives could issued to the entire Pacific Straw added that “many of have been saved if an early Basin. the bodies of the dead may warning system had been Issuing the necessary never be found”. Kofi Annan, in place. information to national the United Nations Secretary While earthquakes are authorities is only the begin- General, said that affected impossible to predict, it is ning of a successful warn- areas could take up to ten possible to implement sys- ing. Governments need to years to recover. tems that provide imme- be able to coordinate the Imperial College students diate information on their evacuation of people at risk Two of the many scenes of devastation caused by the and their families may well severity and an advance quickly.