[Mb-civic] British Detail Policy on Radicals - Washington Post

[William Swiggard]

British Detail Policy on Radicals

By Kevin Sullivan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, August 25, 2005; Page A15

LONDON, Aug. 24 -- The British government will deport and ban people who 
"foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence," the country's top law 
enforcement official announced Wednesday.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke outlined the new policy, the most detailed 
explanation to date of proposals announced this month by Prime Minister 
Tony Blair. Clarke said a list of "unacceptable behaviors" includes the 
use of Web sites, writing, preaching, publishing or distributing 
materials that "seek to provoke others to terrorist acts" or "foster 
hatred."

"Individuals who seek to create fear, distrust and division in order to 
stir up terrorist activity will not be tolerated by the government or by 
our communities," Clarke said. His statement detailed measures directly 
resulting from last month's transit system bombings in London, which 
killed 56 people, including four presumed bombers, and injured 700.

In a report Wednesday night on the July 7 bombings, BBC said one of the 
four suicide bombers attempted to call his fellow attackers before his 
device exploded on a city bus. Hasib Hussain, 18, was unable to contact 
the other three men because they had already died in three subway 
attacks, the network said, citing unnamed police sources. Officials 
theorized that all four bombs were intended to blow up on subway lines, 
but that Hussain was unable to enter a Northern Line station and 
exploded his bomb about one hour after the subway explosions, BBC reported.

Meanwhile, the Guardian newspaper, quoting unnamed sources, reported 
Wednesday that all four bombs were detonated by the individual 
attackers, contradicting versions that the men could have been tricked 
into carrying the explosives in backpacks, with the bombs then detonated 
by remote control.

Human rights activists and others have criticized the new British 
policy. But public opinion polls have shown overwhelming support for 
tightening laws against religious extremism, even if that leads to 
limits on free speech and other civil liberties in a nation with a long 
tradition of tolerance.

"We recognize the sensitivities around the use of these powers and 
intend to use them in a measured and targeted way," Clarke said. "These 
powers are not intended to stifle free speech or legitimate debate about 
religions or other issues. Britain is rightly proud of its openness and 
diversity and we must not allow those driven by extremism of any sort to 
destroy that tradition."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/24/AR2005082401284.html
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