ajm

Do you honestly trust the current government not to abuse the new powers though?

If the government have nothing to hide, no alterior motives and will only detain people who are clearly terrorists then why do they want to bypass judges? Judges are impartial and are versed in the law. Politicians are biased, clueless as to the law and are easily corruptable!

warrenm2

2000T - In situations such as these you cant predict the future - however you can look to history to see what has happened in the past. In the past fear has been used to surpress and control the general population, Stalins terrorism of his own countrymen, encouraging people to grass on their neighbours, Hitlers persecution of the Jews as the root of all their problems are 2 examples that immediately spring to mind. Today we have Tony Blair saying their are 200 terrorists out on the streets trying to kill us, and a removal of a basic tenet of our countrys history - the right of no false imprisonment - to trial in front of your peers to judge you, not on the whim of a politician who is acting on "intelligence" which you aren't allowed to see or contest...

Do you really believe that is a fair way to run a country? Say I hacked your computer and sent some "dodgy" emails from it which were then intercepted under the RIP Act. Lo and behold a team of big strong special branch officers burst in, take you away, and the Home Secetary imposes a control order on you - no leaving your house, talking to anyone, using your phone, post, radio, internet or any other form of communication. It wasnt anything to do with you, you say? Sorry we dont have to prove anything.... Welcome to New Labour - ever read 1984 BTW? Enjoy your life....

boomer

warrenm2,

very scarey, but very true

mb

Leslie

You could well be in for a nasty shock 2000TL, The first thing a person in power does is to worry in case he loses it! The next concern is how to stop that happening.

Les

ajm

Just look at that dodgy b*stard Chirac did, changing the laws on presidential immunity to make himself untouchable in the face of allegations... that will be Blair's next trick no doubt

Angry

Please, serious question, someone answer it.

If we know there are x amount of "al qaeda" operatives in the UK, then we must have some evidence against them.

WhyTF arent they either being deported or locked up based on the evidence we already have?

I guess what I'm really asking is why do we need this ruddy legislation when it'll be a judge deciding anyways

Vegescoob

Btw, where is the esteemed pslewis these days?
Strangely silent across threads.

warrenm2

hes probably had his wings clipped by the mods again - he must be down to the stumps by now