British Prime Minister Tony Blair's government is considering toughening already contentious anti-terrorism powers if it wins another term in office, a senior government minister said Sunday. Home Secretary David Blunkett said the government is considering allowing wiretap evidence to be used in court and establishing special terrorism courts overseen by judges without a jury. The changes would not come until after a national election expected next year, Blunkett told ITV television's Jonathan Dimbleby Show, excerpts released in advance by the broadcaster showed. "It's not my intention to try and push a bill through this side of the general election, whenever the prime minister calls it," he said.
Blunkett said new measures could also include the use of "civil orders" barring suspects from committing certain acts, even if the acts themselves were not criminal. They could, for instance, prevent suspects from using a specified banking network or using the Internet. Britain introduced tough new anti-terrorism measures after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. The most controversial authorizes the indefinite detention without trial of foreign terrorist suspects if they cannot be safely removed to another country. That legislation and Blunkett's plans for a national ID card - Britain's first since the Second World War - have angered civil libertarians. Blunkett has countered by stressing the threat of a major terrorist attack in Britain. Last week, he said al-Qaida is "actually on our doorstep and threatening our lives." |