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New anti-terrorism legislation passed as Abu Qatada sprung
 Eight foreign terrorist suspects, regarded as among the most dangerous men in the country, walked free on bail today after the government finally hammered controversial anti-terrorism measures into law. Politicians finally approved Prime Minister Tony Blair's anti-terrorism bill after one of the longest parliamentary sittings in British history -- a 30-hour marathon which started on Thursday morning and ran all through the night. A deal was reached after Blair promised to give parliament an opportunity to overhaul the legislation next year.As exhausted politicians left parliament, some of the country's top terrorism suspects were leaving jail where they had been held without charge or trial for up to three years under old anti-terrorism legislation ruled unlawful by judges last year. A judge ordered their release earlier on Friday on grounds their detention was illegal. Two other terrorist suspects had already been released on bail terms, one on Thursday. Just hours after the new law was passed, the Home Office said "control orders", the central component of the legislation, would be imposed immediately on the eight men -- described by the government and the country's most senior police officer as a serious threat to society. The new control orders would be similar to the tough bail terms that had been set -- that they wear electronic tags, stay home for 12 hours a day and refrain from pre-arranged meetings. The problem is that in the case of people like Abu Qatada, they don't need to meet with anyone to issue orders - they can do it all online. Posted by: Dan Darling 2005-03-12 |
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