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Care for a stop and a quiz?

Tim Johnson | 27.05.2007 07:22 | Repression | Terror War

The Home Office is planning to give police new powers to "stop and quiz" anyone nationwide in a new set of anti-terror laws that are to be put before Parliament.




John Reids plans to make the worlds biggest quiz show, will be of great concern among citizens that are currently innocent until proven guilty, already under the constant watch of CCTV.

With millions of CCTV cameras on our streets, it was only a matter of time before the Home Office decided to add TV hosts to the equation, in the form of the police.

The powers are not new however, they have been used to tackle terrorism in Northern Ireland.

A spokesperson from the Home Office has said "We are considering a range of measures for the Bill and 'stop and question' is one of them."

Last Thursday three suspects who have been accused of wanting to kill UK troops went missing after being under control orders, John Reid criticised opponents and judges for stopping tougher measures against terror suspects and promised to introduce new anti-terror legislation very soon.

The Sunday Times said in an article police minister Tony McNulty had told Tony Blair "stop and question" legislation could be "very useful UK wide".

Tony Blair said in the Daily Telegraph the disappearance of the terror suspects was a cause of putting civil liberties before fighting terror. He described this as "misguided and wrong" and "a dangerous misjudgment".

Campaign group Liberty criticised the proposals citing that police should not be able to question people "willy-nilly".

Shami Chakrabarti director of Liberty said "This looks like a political machismo, a legacy moment. Stopping and questioning anyone you like will backfire because people will be being criminalised."

Jane Winter, director of British-Irish Rights Watch had told the Sunday Times government was trying to use "a sledgehammer to crack a nut".

Tim Johnson
- e-mail: tim.johnson@waftycrank.co.uk

Comments

Display the following 6 comments

  1. The return of sus? — Dread
  2. As predicted here: — historian
  3. Section 44 — mini mouse
  4. Secttion 44? — Itsme
  5. "No Comment" — Tim Johnson
  6. Demanding Equal Rights with Politicians. — An Ordinary Citizen