Guilty! Senior judges accuse politicians over terror laws

[emad]

Guilty! Senior judges accuse politicians over terror laws

Senior judges have accused politicians of seeking to subvert the rule of law in attempts to impose tough new anti-terror measures
By Marie Woolf, Chief Political Correspondent
Published: 11 August 2005


Britain's most eminent judges have warned politicians that they will fight any move to undermine their independence, after being accused of thwarting moves to fight terrorism. In a stark warning, the country's senior legal figures warned of a backlash from the courts - and declared that diluting the powers of the judiciary will undermine the basis of democracy.

Their uncompromising stance comes after a series of clashes with the Government and opposition MPs. Yesterday, Michael Howard, the Tory leader, accused judges of "aggressive judicial activism" and of blocking the will of MPs over the fight against terrorism. Tony Blair recently warned judges he will renounce part of the European Convention on Human Rights and have "a lot of battles" with courts if they block the deportation of extremists.

The judges reacted angrily to the combined force of politicians' criticism, calling Mr Howard's foray into the debate ill-conceived and populist. Lord Ackner, a former law lord, accused Mr Howard of going too far. He added: " He is jumping on the bandwagon."

Senior judges also told the Government they will fight "root and branch" any move to undermine their independence and warned MPs that, if they put pressure on courts to abandon independent judgment to do their bidding on terrorism, the move would backfire.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/article305157.ece

[Stand and Fight]

1. Well, at least the judiciary is fighting in GB.

I wish the same could be said here in America. I hope that they are successful in fighting the insanity there. It is also interesting that the people who favor these measures are using Republican talking points -- "judicial activism" and such.

[Norquist Nemesis]

2. Yes, I wondered if he'd had lunch with Grover or something

The identical rhetoric and hyperbole are certainly suspect.

[Greeby]

3. Not suprising

The Conservative Party is little more these days than the UK branch of the Republican Party

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

4. The 10 people they want to eject...

...are going around actively inciting terrorism right now. I'm not entirely sure letting them run around free is the best thing to do.

[ikri]

5. Isn't the judge's point

That since the current anti-terror legislation is apparently up to the job of stopping people from inciting terror and prosecuting those who attempt terror-related crimes, no new draconian laws are required?

[lockdown]

7. Are they? Says who?

Like Abu Qatada, some of the foreigners detained Thursday had spent up to three years in jail without trial under sweeping anti-terror legislation until their release in March after Britain's highest court ruled it unlawful. Since then, they have been supervised under so-called control orders, such as curfew or house arrest, and banned from using the telephone or Internet.

The Home Office said the detainees had five working days to appeal deportation - a process that could drag on for months. A spokeswoman stressed they would not be deported until the British government gained assurances from the countries to which they will be sent that they will not be treated inhumanely.

As a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, Britain is not allowed to deport people to countries where they may face torture of mistreatment. The government has been trying to sign agreements guaranteeing humane treatment of deportees with 10 countries, including Algeria, Lebanon, Egypt and Tunisia. The first such memorandum of understanding was signed with Jordan on Wednesday.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5204131,00.html

They are now detained pending deportations, not running round inciting terrorism, and before that they were already on a leash and monitored.

Abu Qatada is being described as OBL's ambassador in Europe. Thought it was Prince Turki al-Faisal myself.

[wli]

6. Bushler replaced the real judges with Federalist Society Klansmen

i.e. they own the courts.

[Stand and Fight]

9. Frightening, isn't it? n/t

[Wizard777]

8. But there is democracy in Iraq!

Who cares if Bush & Blair destroys Democracy everywhere else on earth. As long as there is Democracy in Iraq and no where else. We will all be safe. Because Bush and Blair won't order anymore Al Qaida attacks to terrorize people into supporting their agenda's of treason.