JURIST - Paper Chase: Former UK law lords slam anti-terror detention proposals

[JURIST] Two former British law lords have condemned recent UK anti-terror proposals [JURIST report] as "intolerable" and in violation of human rights laws. Referring to provisions in the proposed bill [PDF text] which would amend current UK anti-terrorism legislation [Home Office backgrounder], Lord Steyn and Lord Lloyd said that if the government is given authority to hold terror suspects for up to three months without charge this could violate the European Convention on Human Rights [PDF text]. UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke announced yesterday that the government has reconsidered [JURIST report] the definition of activities that could lead to charges of glorifying terrorism, but Clarke also said the government was standing firm on the proposal to extend the time suspected terrorists can be detained from 14 days to three months. Clarke has also come under fire for releasing details [Independent report] about high-profile terrorist prosecutions currently underway. As part of his efforts to win support for the extended detention period, Clarke distributed a document that contains evidence against several defendants. The Home Office defended their actions, saying that the material would not prejudice pending legal proceedings. The Independent has more.

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