The New Rules of the Game: Glorification of Terrorism, 3 Month Internment and the First Round in the Deporting of people to be t
Charles Clarke has been a busy boy rolling out the new rules of the game.
Today saw the publishing of plans for the proposed offence of 'glorifying terrorism', up to 3 month internment without trial and the first round of deporting people to be tortured..
People have been trying to determine what, exactly 'glorifying terrorism' covers, and the consensus appears to be, well pretty much everything.
So for the definitive definition, we should go straight to the top, and ask the boss. Newsnight did just that when they caught up with the Blair this afternoon.
What does 'glorifying terrorism' mean?
Blair:
It means, erm, creating the sense, that those that engage in this terrorism, are doing a worthy and a good act.
In other words its, if you like, it's a sort of branch of incitement.
Has that cleared things up for anyone? [I guess he's kind of ruled out a return to the Bar when he quits politics...]
What doesn't that cover?
I guess you could argue that the Pope sailed pretty close to the wind when he pointedly didn't condem Palestinian suicide bombings, and Cherie better watch her mouth...
Not to mention those of us that have gone on record as suggesting our governments actions at home and abroad, and how those actions are felt and percieved might have something to do with the terrorist threat.
But the devil is in the detail, and with the United Nations unable to define terrorism, therefore who is a terrorist, and who is a freedom fighter, New Labour have come up with a solution:
glorifying, exalting or celebrating anything occurring more than 20 years before the publication of the statement
only if the statement relates, whether directly or indirectly, to conduct or events specified for the purposes of this section
by order made by the Secretary of State.
Now I'm obviously not a lawyer, but that says to me [as Liberty have suggested] that the Home Secretary gets to decide what is terrorism, and therefore who is a terrorist. It's a very New Labour way of going about things, but I'm not sure the UN is going to buy it...
So on to plans for 3 month internment without trial for any one joining the lists of 1000s of 'suspects' who happen to be Muslim, that have been picked up in the fight against terrorism.
I can't think of a better way to radicalise individuals, those close to them and the vulnerable in their communities.
Clarke does suggest that the timescale for detention without trial is negotiable, but it is unclear if by that he means the police have to negotiate him 'up' and make the case, or he has accepted the case and the dissenting politicians have to negotiate him 'down' from the 3 month position.
Either way, the damage may well, to degree have already been done. The message going into the Muslim communities is that the government want to intern Muslims for 3 months without trial.
Another great step towards the government's march towards 'community cohesion'...
Add finally, New Labour must have got their paper promises from the Algerians that they will not torture anybody we send back into their hands, honest mate, cross my thumbscrews.
Yes, it's deportation time, and for a few lucky prisoners, a personal guarantee from Tony that the Algerian authorities have promised to be really nice to them. This time.
For these men are not just the 'usual suspects', but also the men who were cleared of any involvement in the Ricin Farce Plot earlier this year. No, that wasn't a typo, those cleared of any involvement in the Ricin plot.
On the grounds there was no Ricin, and there was no plot.
One of the factors that lead both the judge and the jury to dismiss the case was the fact that for 3 years the government withheld the fact there was no Ricin.
Another was that a confession was found to be unreliable, because it had been obtained under torture, in Algeria.
When our beloved government first raised the prospect of deporting the cleared men after the collapse of the case, the Jurors took the unusual step of going public, which we mentioned at the time. Based on the evidence they had seen, they condemmed the Governments attempts to deport the cleared men:
They have told the Guardian that they are very angry that their verdicts of not guilty appear to have been ignored, and fear that the men face torture or death if deported.
"If anyone has grounds for asylum in this country, it is these men," said one of the jurors. "They would almost certainly be subjected to abuse, torture or worse if repatriated.
We as a jury made a decision. To see the government disregarding our verdict and preparing to send them back to almost certain torture is horrifying. We would try to do anything to stop it."
If it wasn't so grotesque, it would be ironic.
So, all in all, a great day for human rights, civil liberties and the rule of law.
Suprising how easy they all are to 'tweak', when approached by a pair of size 10 New labour jackboots.
by Anonymous on Sep 16, 2005
by Anonymous on Sep 16, 2005 - 02:50 AM
let us say, I shout out loud in the street, put up a poster, write a letter saying (foe example) Zarkawi is awonderful guy doin' a great job.
Say my defence is, well Zarkawi doesn't exist - you prove it ? How can you glorify a non=existent person.
What if you say it in Icelandic ? What if you sign it in public ?
Absolute bollocks.
WE should fill Trafalgar Square with people sayin gthey glorify Mandela what a terrific job he did, Makarios, Mugabe, KIm JOng IL etc.,
Of course if yer web site says OBL is a great guy ? Say someone pust a comment on someone elses site ?
Absolute bollocks
Someone sticks (unknown to me) a sticker on my car bumper ?