National Campaign against ‘Anti-Terror’ Powers

OPPOSE THE COUNTER-TERRORISM BILL AND EXTENSION OF DETENTION WITHOUT CHARGE

LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT
Thursday 29 November 2-6 pm Westminster, London.

PUBLIC MEETING 6.30-8.30 pm in Committee Room 2A
Hosted by Lord Rea
Speakers include Baroness Helena Kennedy QC,
Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty, Gareth Peirce, Sarah Teather MP, Elfyn Llwyd MP; Aamer Anwar, Scottish Human Rights Lawyer and Mahan Abedin, Centre for the Study of Terrorism; Asim Qureshi, Cageprisoners

The Counter-Terrorism Bill 2007 reinforces a trend beginning with the Terrorism Act 2000, whose broad definition of terrorism criminalised normal political activities, potentially on the basis of suspected ‘association’. This law was followed by three more in 2001, 2005, 2006; these multiplied extra police powers (e.g. arbitrary stop-and-search), punishment without trial and treatment of ‘suspects’ as guilty, thus bypassing due process. Together these laws have normalised detention without trial under various guises, such as control orders and immigration rules, whereby the accused never see the evidence against them.

A national campaign is bringing together civil liberties activists, migrant groups, Muslim groups, lawyers, journalists, academics, trade unions and environmental campaigners amongst others. The campaign opposes all current anti-terror laws as well as their extension. This broad approach will help to involve everyone affected by those powers, could deter their use, and will provide extra reasons to oppose their extension.

We invite you to join the lobby of Parliament and public meeting on 29th November, to write to your MP and encourage others to do so. Other activities of the campaign, which you could join or start, include:-
• Putting anti terror laws on the agenda of local organisations, such as anti-war groups, religious groups, civil society associations and trade unions.
• Organising local public meetings and building local coalitions.
• Holding high street stalls to raise awareness and gather signatures for petition.
• Giving out information outside community centres and places of worship.
• Sending letters to the mass media, local media plus articles in alternative media.
• Petitioning MPs to vote against any extension of ‘anti-terror’ powers, with delegations to the office of your constituency MP. (See model letter to MPs on our website.)

Groups which have joined the campaign


1990 Trust, Baluch Human Rights Group, Cageprisoners , Campaign Against Criminalising Communities, Campaign Against Racism and Fascism, Centre for the Study of Terrorism, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, Index on Censorship, Institute for Policy Research and Development, Islamic Human Rights Commission, Justice not Vengeance, J7; The July 7th Truth Campaign, Kurdish Federation UK, London Guantanamo Campaign, Muslim Parliament, Panjaab National History Society, Peace & Progress; Peace and Justice in East London; Scotland Against Criminalising Communities, South Asia Solidarity Group, Stop the War Coalition, Sheffield Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), Sheffield Guantanamo Campaign, Solidarity(Scotland’s Socialist Movement) Tamil Campaign for Truth and Justice, Tamil Centre for Human Rights.


Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC), www.campacc.org.uk
email:  estella24@tiscali.co.uk