Criticism of Anti-Terrorism Laws Confirmed

12.37.48pm GMT Fri 17th Dec 2004

Detaining foreign terrorist suspects without trial breaks human rights laws, the UK's highest court has ruled. In a blow to the government's controversial anti-terror measures, the House of Lords law lords ruled in favour of the appeals made by the 9 people detained without trial at Belmarsh prison.

Leicester South Lib Dem MP Parmjit Singh Gill said:

"The new Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, must explain how the Government will put right the wrong of holding people without trial.

The government was repeatedly warned in 2001 that these measures would be illegal, but chose to ignore them. They must now act in a responsible and fair manner to resolve this."

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Mark Oaten, added:

"This is an early opportunity for Charles Clarke to show he is serious about the principles of justice and will listen to the views of the courts.

"The Home Secretary should now urgently move to allow the use of intercept communications as evidence in criminal cases, so that cases like these can be brought to trial in the normal way."

ENDS