Blair introduces controversial anti-terrorism laws

CBC News
Oct. 13, 2005

The British government published tougher anti-terrorism legislation in Parliament on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Tony Blair saying there were "absoluting compelling" justifications for the crackdown despite concerns over potential rights violations.

The legislation – which must be approved by both chambers of Parliament to become law – is the government's formal reply to the July bombings on London's transit system that killed 56 people, including the four bombers.

Among other measures, the government wants to increase the time police can hold suspects without charge from two weeks to three months. Authorities say they need more time to sift through evidence, including computer records, if they are to prevent attacks.

But senior judges and civil rights groups have condemned the changes as draconian and unnecessary, arguing that 90 days is too long.

In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Blair seemed unwilling to consider a compromise.

"The people who are in charge of fighting terrorism in this country, and in particular the senior police officer who is in charge of it, says – for reasons that I have to say personally I find absolutely compelling – that it is necessary to have this power in order to protect the public."

* FROM JAN. 6, 2005: British PM cracks down on extremism

Other measures in the Terrorism Bill include:

* Allowing Britain to deport anyone who fosters hatred, or advocates violence to further beliefs, or justifies acts of violence.
* Making it an offence to condone or glorify terrorism.
* Making it against the law to attend terrorist training camps in Britain or elsewhere.
* Automatically refusing asylum to anyone who has participated in extremist violence anywhere.
* A new power to order the closure of any place of worship that is used as a centre for fomenting extremism.

As part of its sales pitch, the government has released a survey of anti-terrorism laws in other countries, including Canada.

It also outlines French and Spanish laws, which allow suspects to be held for questioning for years – but only under the authority of a judge, not police.

Shami Chakrabarti, the director of the British human-rights organization Liberty, rejected the comparisons.

"I think things have come to a pretty sad situation in this country when the prime minister is justifying tearing up our legal system with more repressive laws on the basis that there are more repressive laws elsewhere."

Blair has sent signals that he's readying for a fight, including recently warning judges not to rule against the new measures.

In turn, Britain's chief justice is fighting back saying it's not appropriate for politicians to browbeat the judiciary.

Janet Paraskeva, chief executive of the Law Society of England and Wales, said her organization hopes the government will back down before the proposals become law.

"Much of the legislation that they are bringing in, we are fairly content with," she said. "But they must not, I think, bring in things which are so draconian that we put at risk peoples' fundamental human rights."

Some political observers are predicting that Blair's toughest challenge over the legislation may arise away from the courts.

The prime minister saw his majority in the Commons sharply reduced in the May election.

If enough Labour MPs feel Blair is striking the wrong balance, the observers predict he could be risking defeat with his unwillingness to bend on laws he says Britain needs in order to be safe.