Comments on: Jacqui Smith admits Liberal Democrats were right all along http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2007/10/jacqui-smith-admits-liberal-democrats.htm Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:02:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Mash http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2007/10/jacqui-smith-admits-liberal-democrats.htm/comment-page-1#comment-732 Mash Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:50:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=1416#comment-732 A great article regarding the detention of terror suspects in the United Kingdom. Having analysed all ACPO’s material and statements, I certainly agree that terror suspects need to be held as long as is “proportionate and necessary”, as asserted by ACPO. However, it would be appalling if there was any call for indeterminate detention for terror suspects. However, we must ensure that our anti-terror laws do not discriminate or criminalise certain groups when implementing these laws. Even Britain’s most senior Asian officer, Tarique Ghaffur, came out claiming that certain police practices tend to be based more on ‘physical appearance than being intelligence-led’. <br/><br/><br/>I therefore think our laws need to both take into consideration whether there would be any detrimental impact on community relations, but also offer proportionate time to police to bring suspects to justice. Having engaged with a wide spectrum of Muslim opinion myself, many Muslims felt the extention could only be justified if evidence was produced to the High Court to suggest there is strong evidence to link suspects to acts of terrorism. The Muslim community as any other ethnic or faith group want to feel protected and therefore they would support their Government and police to combat extremism and bring terror suspects to justice.<br/><br/><br/><br/>One important aspect of improving our terror laws is to conduct a judicial public inquiry into previous terror attacks and see what lessons could be learnt and investigate the reason that leads to the radicalisation of young people. For instance, the terrorist of 7/7 and 9/11 stated in their videos publicised around the world, they were angry and frustration at the international global issues affecting Muslims and non-Muslims alike. For instance, Sadique Khan, one of the perpetrators of 7/7 claimed he felt angered by our intervention in Iraq and Palestine. These are issues relating possibly, one can only argue, to our Foreign policy. Maybe a public inquiry would allow us to find out what causes terrorism and then attempt to defeat it. I would further argue that, as some senior police officers have asserted, "simplistic" anti-western messages of extremist organisations, advocating closed and hostile views of other religions, could be attractive to vulnerable young people. I therefore feel this could be addressed and we can see what can be done to combat extremism before it leads young people to commit criminal and barbaric attacks. <br/><br/><br/><br/>To conclude, I certainly support the need to provide police proportionate and necessary time, if this means extension of the 28 day detention to be increased to 90 days. However, during this period, evidence should be produced in front of a judge to decide whether there are appropriate grounds to warrant an extension. Additionally, we must ensure that our anti-terror laws do not lead to the criminalisation or exclusion of certain ethnic or Muslim communities. As we need the support of all our communities in order to combat the very threat of global extremism and terrorism. <br/><br/>Furthermore, by the criminalisation of young people from a certain community may lead them to adopt more hostile and extreme messages of anti-western nature which we are attempting to tackle as a country. Let us win the hearts and minds of our young people. <br/><br/><br/>We should also support the call by 7/7 victims for a judicial public inquiry, these were our citizens maimed on the day and therefore we should respect their wishes as British subjects by holding a public inquiry in the memory of those that lost their lives. Of course, including those that survived. <br/><br/>Thanks<br/><br/>Mash A great article regarding the detention of terror suspects in the United Kingdom. Having analysed all ACPO’s material and statements, I certainly agree that terror suspects need to be held as long as is “proportionate and necessary”, as asserted by ACPO. However, it would be appalling if there was any call for indeterminate detention for terror suspects. However, we must ensure that our anti-terror laws do not discriminate or criminalise certain groups when implementing these laws. Even Britain’s most senior Asian officer, Tarique Ghaffur, came out claiming that certain police practices tend to be based more on ‘physical appearance than being intelligence-led’.

I therefore think our laws need to both take into consideration whether there would be any detrimental impact on community relations, but also offer proportionate time to police to bring suspects to justice. Having engaged with a wide spectrum of Muslim opinion myself, many Muslims felt the extention could only be justified if evidence was produced to the High Court to suggest there is strong evidence to link suspects to acts of terrorism. The Muslim community as any other ethnic or faith group want to feel protected and therefore they would support their Government and police to combat extremism and bring terror suspects to justice.

One important aspect of improving our terror laws is to conduct a judicial public inquiry into previous terror attacks and see what lessons could be learnt and investigate the reason that leads to the radicalisation of young people. For instance, the terrorist of 7/7 and 9/11 stated in their videos publicised around the world, they were angry and frustration at the international global issues affecting Muslims and non-Muslims alike. For instance, Sadique Khan, one of the perpetrators of 7/7 claimed he felt angered by our intervention in Iraq and Palestine. These are issues relating possibly, one can only argue, to our Foreign policy. Maybe a public inquiry would allow us to find out what causes terrorism and then attempt to defeat it. I would further argue that, as some senior police officers have asserted, “simplistic” anti-western messages of extremist organisations, advocating closed and hostile views of other religions, could be attractive to vulnerable young people. I therefore feel this could be addressed and we can see what can be done to combat extremism before it leads young people to commit criminal and barbaric attacks.

To conclude, I certainly support the need to provide police proportionate and necessary time, if this means extension of the 28 day detention to be increased to 90 days. However, during this period, evidence should be produced in front of a judge to decide whether there are appropriate grounds to warrant an extension. Additionally, we must ensure that our anti-terror laws do not lead to the criminalisation or exclusion of certain ethnic or Muslim communities. As we need the support of all our communities in order to combat the very threat of global extremism and terrorism.

Furthermore, by the criminalisation of young people from a certain community may lead them to adopt more hostile and extreme messages of anti-western nature which we are attempting to tackle as a country. Let us win the hearts and minds of our young people.

We should also support the call by 7/7 victims for a judicial public inquiry, these were our citizens maimed on the day and therefore we should respect their wishes as British subjects by holding a public inquiry in the memory of those that lost their lives. Of course, including those that survived.

Thanks

Mash

]]>