Is Your Hair Really Standing on End?
Sir John Stevens
The last time Sir John Stevens entered the political arena was with his badly thought through intervention supporting a change in the law relating to self–defence. He suggested, according to the Telegraph, “ it was time to let people kill burglars in their homes”.
Today, he writes in the News of the World that his hair had been made to "stand on end” when he read reports of attacks militants planned to carry out in Britain. As if that wasn’t enough, he informs us that there are “up to 200” –is that any number between zero and 200 Sir John? -Al Qaida terrorists, trained in Bin Laden camps in Afghanistan, just itching to strap half a kilo of explosives, fill their trouser pockets with nuts and bolts and go off in search of some place where they can cause maximum human misery. And what does this former top brain in the police service suggest will prevent this? Well, surprise, surprise Charles Clarke’s Prevention of Terrorism Bill! So these 200 trained terrorists are going to be contained by “Control Orders”, which, according to the Home Secretary, do not at the moment need to include “house arrest”. Tagging, bans on telephone and Internet use are enough.
Somebody’s taking the mickey here. If Sir John is right then Clarke ought to be seeking an immediate derogation and introduce control orders proportionate to the threat Stevens describes.And this has to be at least one rung above tagging. If not then Stevens is just engaged in another logrolling exercise. After all, the same intelligence passes across the Home Secretary’s desk, and I’ve not noticed his hair standing on end recently.
Do these folk really think we're all daft?
cheers
posted by Tony @ Sunday, March 06, 2005
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