UK: Reid fights to end torture shield for terror suspects

[Robbien]

JOHN REID, the home secretary, is heading for a showdown with the judiciary over plans to strip some terror suspects of the automatic right to be protected from torture.

Reid is preparing a new anti-terror law that would sideline human rights legislation protecting suspects from torture if ministers ruled there were “overriding considerations of national security”.

The move is aimed at foreign terrorist suspects, including 32 detained in prison without charge or being monitored on strict bail conditions.

. . .

Legal sources say the new principle that national security overrides concerns about torture could be laid down in a guideline to judges enshrined in statute.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2383219,00.html

[Egnever]

1. Oh Joy

and the snowballing begins.

[LynnTheDem]

2. So it's now also ok for anyone to torture Brits.

Hey, if it's good enough for the USA & the UK, it's good enough for the rest of the world.

Stupid motherfuckers. Incredibly stupid.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Strictly, it's the non-Brits who can be tortured

Just as it's the non-Americans who can be tortured by the US. However, if you see the little note about extradition at the bottom of the story, the new law is that any UK citizen can be extradited to the US without any evidence. Once there, Bush can declare a UK citizen an 'enemy combatant', and then start torturing them, with no habeas corpus to get them brought before a court.

There has to be some evidence for US citizens to be extradited to the UK, though - your constitution is still giving you that protection. In the UK, our constitutionless system has suddenly stuffed us, thanks to Blair and Bush.

[LynnTheDem]

4. If the US and UK can torture others, then others can torture US & UK

citizens.

If it's a good thing for US & UK to torture, then obviously it's a good thing for other nations to do in return,