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| Britain |
| Security minister slapped down by Gordon Brown |
| 2007-11-14 |
| Admiral Lord West, the security minister, was today forced into an abrupt and humiliating U-turn after publicly opposing Gordon Brown's bid to raise the time limit on holding terror suspects without charging. The former navy chief was drafted into the Government in the summer and asked to review Britain's defences against al-Qa'eda terrorists, and parts of that review will be presented to parliament later today. The Prime Minister's most contentious anti-terror proposal is to look at raising the pre-charge detention time limit from 28 to 56 days. Civil liberty groups, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and dozens of Labour MPs have opposed any increase. In a radio interview shortly after 8am this morning, Lord West made clear he, too, is unconvinced of the need to give the police more power to detain people who have not been charged. The security minister told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I want to have absolute evidence that we actually need longer than 28 days. "I want to be totally convinced because I am not going to go and push for something that actually affects the liberty of the individual unless there is a real necessity for it." Allies of the Prime Minister have suggested that secret intelligence reports prove the case for a higher time limit. But Lord West, who has access to classified intelligence, said he had seen nothing to persuade him. He said: "I still need to be fully convinced that we absolutely need more than 28 days and I also need to be convinced what is the best way of doing that." Despite the apparently categorical message in his remarks, the minister later issued an unusual public statement in which he insisted that he had in fact meant to back the Prime Minister's plans. The admiral's statement was issued by the Home Office shortly after Lord West had a breakfast meeting with Gordon Brown. It said: "I am quite clear that the greater complexities of terrorist plots will mean that we will need the power to detain certain individuals for more than 28 days. "Already six individuals have been held over 27 days and the number of plots, and their growing international nature, will only make them more complex to investigate. "I was stating this morning that there will need to be scrutiny in the system, and robust evidence against individuals, to safeguard their rights. "I am convinced that we need to legislate now so that we have the necessary powers when we need them. "The Government would be failing in its responsibility to protect national security if we waited until we needed more than 28 days to act." Later, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman dodged questions as to whether Mr Brown had ordered Lord West to make his second statement. “I think he (Lord West) thought it was necessary to make sure that his position was properly understood,” he said. The spokesman denied that Lord West’s credibility was now damaged, saying “I don’t think that’s the case at all….he is a great expert on security”. In advance of the publication of Lord West's report, Mr Brown paved the way for tough new security measures by warning that terrorists could attack the UK “anywhere and from any place”. Writing in The Sun newspaper, Mr Brown said: “Terrorism can hit us anywhere from any place.” He added: “But just as the terrorists use every method and the very freedoms we enjoy to kill or maim people, so we must also adopt new tools to beat the terrorists, secure our borders and create a safe global society.” He said Lord West’s report contained “key recommendations for the protection of our national security” but that physical protections had to go alongside improved community relations. “It is a battle we will have to fight street by street, community by community and year by year. But standing together, resolute and calm, we can win it.” The report is expected to recommend that sports grounds, shopping centres, cinemas, theatres and other “at risk” venues improve security, including employing specially-trained door staff. Schools and hospitals will also be issued with new guidance on protecting pupils, patients and staff, according to reports. Lord West will also call on architects to integrate anti-terrorism measures into new buildings. However, he will add that such measures, including barriers, should be as unobtrusive as possible. It is understood his report is too sensitive to be published in full, and only his conclusions and some other limited points will be made public. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #7 Yeah, just come up with a new charge, like breathing while Muslim or something appropiate. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2007-11-14 18:41 |
| #6 I have to agree, detention with no charges is letting the forces of terror win. These are just the kinds of anti liberty changes they want in our society. Why the heck can't you charge them and keep them under existing law? |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2007-11-14 17:32 |
| #5 One Eyed Gluger. Darn, I like that one. |
| Posted by: One Eyed Gluger9182 2007-11-14 11:30 |
| #4 Should have resigned. |
| Posted by: One Eyed Gluger9182 2007-11-14 11:29 |
| #3 I find it laughable (in an ironic sense) the GB talks about securing borders and protecting our national security as he runs pell mell to cede British sovereignty to the EU. Someone ought to point out to him that "Britians borders" are in places like Poland, Spain, Italy, France, etc. How is he securing those borders again? |
| Posted by: AlanC 2007-11-14 10:48 |
| #2 Writing in The Sun newspaper, Mr Brown said: “Terrorism can hit us anywhere from any place.” This is the precise nonsense that really does diminish our civil liberties. In their mania to prevent discrimination of any kind, the left guarantees we all must suffer as every non-muslim suffers the indignity of being treated as a "terror" suspect. We should instead focus on jihadi subjects and recognize absolutely that we are not hit at random anywhere from anyplace. We are rather targeted as infidels by sword-wielding maniacs. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-11-14 09:13 |
| #1 We didn't really intended you to fight Jihad! Just to do something that will keep the Public quiet---so we can assure an orderly trensformation of UK into a caliphate. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2007-11-14 08:49 |