HUMAN rights organisations yesterday furiously condemned the government for planning the introduction of internment in Britain, by giving police the powers to detain suspects for 90 days without charge.
The power was demanded by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair following the July 7 London bombings.
Yesterday Home Secretary Charles Clarke confirmed the government’s intention to introduce the power, as well as publishing details of plans to introduce new offences of ‘indirect incitement of terrorism’ and ‘glorification of terrorism’.
Clarke demanded cross-party support for his measures so his ‘Counter-Terrorism Bill’ could be rushed through parliament quickly, as soon as MPs return to Westminster this autumn.
Under current laws police can hold a person without charge for a maximum of two weeks.
Clarke said that the three-month internment powers would be subject to approval once a week by a district judge.
But yesterday several groups warned that Clarke was ‘ripping up habeas corpus’, which demands that a body must be produced.
Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, said: ‘It is right that we look closely at whether new criminal offences are really required to bring the guilty to justice.
‘But three months’ detention without charge is the very antithesis of justice.
‘This new British internment is as damaging to fighting terrorism at home as to defending our reputation around the globe.’
Clarke is also seeking powers to ban organisations which ‘glorify terrorism’ and prosecute bookshops selling ‘extremist’ literature.
He is also planning new offences on ‘acts preparatory to terrorism’, ‘giving or receiving terrorist training’ and measures requiring those who apply for British citizenship to be ‘of good character’.
In a letter to Tory and Liberal Democrat spokesmen, Clarke claimed there had been a ‘celebration of despicable terrorist acts over the past weeks’.
Clarke added that he was still considering plans to give prosecutors powers to use phone-tap evidence in court cases.
• Police in Greater Manchester have arrested seven people under 1971 Immigration Act powers, following Charles Clarke’s announcement that he was widening the definition of powers to deport people, ‘whose presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good for reasons of national security.’