FC: U.K. will be under state of emergency; Canada legislation update

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Mon Nov 12 2001 - 23:09:21 PST

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    http://www.observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,591394,00.html
    Britain is to be placed under a state of 'public emergency' as part of an 
    unprecedented government move to allow internment without trial of 
    suspected terrorists. In a historic initiative that will incense civil 
    liberties groups, David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, will lay the order 
    before the House of Commons in the next 48 hours, to be followed by 
    anti-terrorist legislation which will be rushed through in the next four 
    weeks. [...]
    
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    http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,3605,591940,00.html
    
    The home secretary, David Blunkett, dismissed "airy fairy" fears about 
    civil liberties yesterday as he announced plans to detain foreign 
    terrorists indefinitely without a formal public trial. The plans will 
    require the government to opt out of Article 5 on the European Convention 
    on Human Rights, which bans arbitrary detention. [...]
    
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    From: "Richard Bellew" <quantumat_private>
    To: <declanat_private>
    Subject: London Daily Telegraph today
    Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 09:54:42 -0000
    
    Hi Declan
    
    The article in today's London Daily Telegraph about our government's use of
    computers to mismanage the foot and mouth (hoof & mouth in US-ian?) epidemic
    might be of interest to your Politech readers. It's at:
    
    http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk/dt?ac=006527651614093&rtmo=a5d9qChJ&atmo=rrrrrrrq&pg=/01/11/12/do01.html
    
    It's a deplorable tale which illustrates the saying I heard when working in
    the US, years ago: There's no problem so serious that Government, acting
    with the best of intentions, can't make worse.
    
    Regards
    
    Richard Bellew
    
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    From: politechat_private
    Subject: Target of McCarthy-era witch-hunt in U.S. decries federal 
    anti-terror law
    Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2001 12:39:38 -0500
    To: declanat_private
    
    Hi Declan,
    
    I think you and POLITECH readers might be interested in reading the
    following article, which is a Canadian perspective to it.
    
    The article can be found at http://ca.news.yahoo.com/011109/6/dm61.html or
    there is a link from my web site.
    
    Robert
    
    ~~~~~~
    
    Friday November 9 5:31 PM EST
    Target of McCarthy-era witch-hunt in U.S. decries federal anti-terror law
    By COLIN PERKEL
    
    TORONTO (CP) - A target of the 1950's anti-communist witch-hunt in the
    United States has blasted Canada's proposed anti-terrorist legislation as a
    dangerous threat to civil liberties.
    
    Author and broadcaster Lynne Gordon warned Friday that the proposed measures
    could lead to the kind of terrible abuse seen in 1950s America, saying the
    bill gives the federal government "unbelievable powers." "People, without a
    shot being fired, can be ruined," Gordon told a news conference.
    
    "There didn't have to be any trial, they just had to mention their name."
    
    Under Bill C-36, security police could without a warrant could arrest or
    jail anyone suspected of planning a terrorist attack.
    
    "You can be arrested just on preventive measures and held for so many hours
    or a week," Gordon said.
    
    "You have no recourse unless they decide to let you go."
    
    [...]
    
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    The text of bill C-36 is here:
    http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/chambus/house/bills/government/C-36/C-36_1/C-36_cover-E.html
    
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