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".
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
Hide the following 6 comments
The return of sus?
27.05.2007 09:01
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sus_law
Dread
As predicted here:
27.05.2007 09:12
Note how the comments suggest it's an over-reaction and nothing to worry about...
historian
Section 44
27.05.2007 20:03
"At present, under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, officers already have the power to stop and search people or vehicles in an area seen as being at risk from terrorism, even if they are not suspected of any breach of the law."
But as I recall, this requires an authorisation
"where the specified area or place is the whole or part of the metropolitan police district, by a police officer for the district who is of at least the rank of commander of the metropolitan police"
How does one find out whether such an authorisation is currently in place?
mini mouse
Secttion 44?
28.05.2007 05:33
Itsme
"No Comment"
28.05.2007 09:24
From what I gather from this new legislation we could face prosecution for not cooperating and specifying what we are doing, where we are going and what our details are there and then on the spot, so it is rather different from stop and search which you can resist.
Tim Johnson
e-mail: tim.johnson@waftycrank.co.uk
Demanding Equal Rights with Politicians.
28.05.2007 13:11
An Ordinary Citizen