Two men held in Bristol (UK) after chemical found

[Ian David]

Two men held in Bristol after chemical found
20.07.07

Two men have been arrested under the Terrorism Act 2006, after police found two containers maked 'hydrogen peroxide', the chemical used in July 7 London bombings, at their flat.

Police found the two 25 litre vessels in a flat they were searching as part of a drugs inquiry.

Officers from Avon and Somerset Police arrested the two men, one of Afghan origin and one from Somalia, on Wednesday evening after searching a flat in Stapleton Road in the Easton area of the city.


Two men were arrested under the Terrorism Act at this Stapleton Road flat in Bristol

<snip>

"If it turns out to be 50 litres of industrial strength hydrogen peroxide, then clearly there are some questions to answer," he said.

More:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23405114-details/Two+men+held+in+Bristol+after+bomb-making+chemical+found/article.do

[Buzz Clik]

1. 50 liters? More than enough to bleach one's hair or tidy up a nick from shaving.

Guilty or innocent, these guys are going to have an interesting day.

[MadHound]

2. Setting some scary legal precedent there, sadly it will probably come over here

If the case is as stated, there's a decent chance that this pair were using the hydrogen peroxide for drug manufacture. Yet they are charging them under the Terrorism Act, allowing secret hearings and secret evidence to be used against the defendants. Overkill in my opinion, charge the men with drug violations, manufacture, etc. Throwing drug crimes under the rubric of terrorism statutes is not just.

Sadly, I can see this sort of legal precedent migrating to the US also. Very scary proposition and very threatening to all of us. I collect old cars and make biodiesel, how soon will I be hauled in? How long before meth heads start going to Gitmo, or just disappearing?

And the slide of the Western world continues apace.