56 days would be 28 days too long
Last Wednesday the government suffered a defeat in the House of Lords on its unlawful policy of subjecting suspected terrorists to control orders. I have covered it here and here. Therefore, I am dismayed to learn that Gordon Brown is to focus on terrorism in the Queen's speech next week, and attack David Cameron for allegedly being weak on national security. At present there is a 28 day detention limit for suspected terrorists undergoing police questioning, and Gordon Brown is seeking to extend this to 56 days the time terrorism suspects can be held. This is equivalent to a 4-6 months prison sentence for someone convicted of an offence and sentenced to imprisonment. Here we are talking about someone who is innocent and has not yet been charged let alone sentenced, so such a powerful measure to give to the police requires very substantial justification. It is not enough just to say "protecting members of the public from a risk of terrorism".
As I understand it, there has only be one occasion where a suspect needed to be detained for 27 days. This does not warrant giving the police such draconian powers to extend the 28 day limit to 56 days. I can see the police, if they were given the power, taking their time just because they have the power to do so. However, it is the liberty of the subject that is at stake and not a minute more of detention should be used than is absolutely necessary.
I am no great lover of either David Cameron nor David Davis. However, I support their stand against Gordon Brown and the Home Secretary on this one. It is nonsense to claim that this pair are being weak on national security for opposing such a measure. According to Amnesty International we already have some of the most strongest anti-terrorism legislation in the world. There needs to be a limit to how oppressive and repressive we can be to suspects. It has already got to the point where we are equating suspect with guilt.
There is nothing "reasonable and proportionate" about what Gordon Brown is proposing. Anyone interested in civil liberties should oppose this proposal.
UPDATE: Terror limit 'could be doubled'
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
3 comments:
I wonder when the people will begin to wake up and begin joining the dots. This government have taken everyone for a ride.
Do you not wonder why ALL government ministers unashamedly lie, mislead and deny responsibility. It has become the norm, no longer the exception.
Terrorism, and the threat of it in the UK is lower now than it was during the height of the IRA campaigns. Why can people not see the lie that is being told to take away more of their freedoms.
"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
- Joseph Goebbels
We have to ask the question, WHY do the government want this 56 or even 90 days internment so badly.
This is not first time they have asked for it, and it wont be the last, so why, why, why do they want it so badly when there is no evidence of a credible threat.
Perhaps these words, spoken 70 years ago may help. You can see the method that they are using, and blaming Cameron in this way is just part of that ploy.
"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
-- Hermann Goering at the Nuremberg Trials after World War II.
We have already seen the Bottler wrap himself in the flag.
With his unashamed pre "election" stunt using our forces in Iraq.
So it is no surprise he is going to use this as a means of attacking Cameron & the Conservatives.
For the opposition it is almost a no win situation.
Especially the way the general public have been spun to by NuLabor over the War on Terrorism.
But for all that, I hope the opposition are resolute in opposing any extension.
To be accused of terrorism in this country now is almost to be judged guilty from the moment of arrest.
Even those innocent people who have been released have been spun against.
Any extension to the period of detention will make the investigative forces less focused on the job.
Finally Goebbels & Goering would have been proud of the authors of our current terrorism legislation.
Post a Comment