Fourteen arrested in terror raids
Police officers stormed a number of addresses at dawn
Fourteen people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act in raids on addresses in London, Cambridge and the West Midlands.
Four men were taken to a central London police station by Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch officers.
Four men and two women were arrested at addresses in Cambridge and detained under Section 41 of the Act.
Four men were held in raids in Walsall and Dudley, though police said these arrests were not linked to the others.
Section 41 governs offences relating to involvement in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
"Officers from the Metropolitan Police Services' anti-terrorism branch executed search warrants at six residential and three business premises in southwest London," a spokeswoman said.
It is part of this massive effort we have been having since 11 September. And it will continue
Sir John Stevens
UK 'must remain' on terror watch
Britain's most senior police officer, Sir John Stevens, told BBC News four UK residents had been arrested at 0530 GMT as part of an "ongoing operation".
"We are arresting people continuously," he added.
"It is part of this massive effort we have been having since 11 September. And it will continue."
Permanently vigilant
The latest operations come as Prime Minister Tony Blair warned that the UK must remain "permanently vigilant" against the threat of terrorism.
Britain has been on the second highest security alert for two weeks since officials warned they had intelligence suggesting an attack was planned.
They have not specified any particular target.
On Monday, police were granted 48 more hours to hold a suspect anti-terror officers arrested in Gloucester last Thursday.
Police officers stormed a number of addresses at dawn
Fourteen people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act in raids on addresses in London, Cambridge and the West Midlands.
Four men were taken to a central London police station by Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch officers.
Four men and two women were arrested at addresses in Cambridge and detained under Section 41 of the Act.
Four men were held in raids in Walsall and Dudley, though police said these arrests were not linked to the others.
Section 41 governs offences relating to involvement in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
"Officers from the Metropolitan Police Services' anti-terrorism branch executed search warrants at six residential and three business premises in southwest London," a spokeswoman said.
It is part of this massive effort we have been having since 11 September. And it will continue
Sir John Stevens
UK 'must remain' on terror watch
Britain's most senior police officer, Sir John Stevens, told BBC News four UK residents had been arrested at 0530 GMT as part of an "ongoing operation".
"We are arresting people continuously," he added.
"It is part of this massive effort we have been having since 11 September. And it will continue."
Permanently vigilant
The latest operations come as Prime Minister Tony Blair warned that the UK must remain "permanently vigilant" against the threat of terrorism.
Britain has been on the second highest security alert for two weeks since officials warned they had intelligence suggesting an attack was planned.
They have not specified any particular target.
On Monday, police were granted 48 more hours to hold a suspect anti-terror officers arrested in Gloucester last Thursday.
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02.12.2003 22:51
Internment - detention without trial
No evidence, no trial, no justice
In high security prisons in Britain, men not convicted, not even charged with any crime are locked up. They have had no trial and don’t even know the evidence which is keeping them there.
Some of them have been there since December 2001 - nearly two years.
The men are detained under emergency ‘anti–terrorism’ laws which permit the detention of foreign nationals without charge or trial. British nationals suspected of terrorism retain the right to be charged and tried with a criminal offence, or released.
Liberty is fighting for justice. These men must be released or charged. The power to intern is unjust and discriminatory, wrong in principle and a violation of human rights. These men should be charged if there is any evidence against them, or released immediately if not.
Follow the links on the timeline below for more information.
December 2001 – Anti Terrorism Crime and Security Act becomes law, the British Government derogates from the European Convention on Human Rights and the first men are seized and sent to two high security prisons. No hearing, no knowledge of the evidence against them.
February 2002 - investigators from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment come to the UK on a secret, emergency visit to investigate the treatment of those interned. Liberty lawyers help the Committee with its investigation and raise a number of serious concerns.
July 2002 - after 8 months of secrecy, Liberty intervenes in the case before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) against interning 'terrorist suspects' without charge or trial. It is the men’s first chance to mount a legal challenge to the legality of their detention. During this and later hearings, the Home Secretary relys on secret evidence that is shown to the court and a specially appointed lawyer but which neither the detainees nor their own lawyers can see.
The SIAC judges find that there was a public emergency justifying the detention without trial but that it was unlawful and discriminatory because the new powers only concerned foreign nationals.
October 2002 – the Court of Appeal overturned the SIAC ruling and finds that there is no discrimination, the detainees being unlike British nationals. Effectively, the Court allows the Home Office to deny all the protections for innocent people that our criminal justice system can offer, undermining our core value of equality before the law.
October 2003 – some of the detainees have been imprisoned for nearly 2 years.
In relation to the first 10 individual appeals, the SIAC judges decide that there is ‘reasonable suspicion’ against the men justifying their certification by the Home Secretary as suspected international terrorists. It becomes apparent that some of the ‘evidence’ which the Home Office has against the men has been obtained via torture of prisoners in other countries. The men release a statement via their lawyer.
In December 2003 some of the detainees will have been imprisoned for two years. Liberty will continue to fight for justice. These men must be released or charged.
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Interesting isn't it?
05.12.2003 00:11
And who seems to suffer most at the abuse of these laws? Peaceful demonstrators against, such as animal rights.
I can just hear it now. Blair saying 'Let's scare everyone into thinking we are at really high risk, so we can get these laws in place and help out statistics. We might be able to get re-elected if we do this'
(BLAIR DID NOT SAY THIS, THIS IS SATIRE. DO NOT TAKE IT SERIOUS!!!! - Just in case someone misunderstands)
fredrico
e-mail:
musteatvegan@yahoo.co.uk