Tuesday 8 July 2008

42 days not "workable" - ex head MI5

The BBC reports that:-

    The former head of MI5 has dismissed government plans to extend the time terror suspects can be held to 42 days as not "workable".

    Baroness Manningham-Buller, who stepped down from the role last year, told peers she disagreed on a "practical basis as well as a principled one".

    ....
    Lady Manningham-Buller, in her maiden speech to the House of Lords, said: "I don't see, on a principled basis, as well as a practical one, that these proposals are in any way workable."

    She added that a "broad cross-party consensus" on fighting terror was needed.

    Lady Manningham-Buller also said it was essential there was a "balance between the right to life", "the fact that there is no such thing as complete security" and "the importance of our hard-won civil liberties".

    She added that "therefore, on principle, I cannot support 42 days' pre-charge detention in this bill".
    (Full article here ).


Sounds pretty damning.

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