[FYI] Harte Zeiten.
<http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,11026,1137494,00.
html?=rss>
--------------------------------- CUT -------------------------------
Lawyers attack Blunkett plan for secret trials
Clare Dyer, legal correspondent
Tuesday February 3, 2004
The Guardian
Plans for a major extension of anti-terror laws floated by David
Blunkett provoked widespread condemnation from lawyers and civil
liberties groups yesterday.
The home secretary is considering consulting on measures which would
include allowing British terror suspects to be tried at least partly
in secret, with convictions reached on evidence from security and
intelligence sources, rather than through traditional policing routes.
Sensitive evidence could be kept secret even from defendants and
their lawyers, while state-appointed special advocates would protect
defendants' interests.
The standard of proof could be lowered from the criminal standard of
"beyond reasonable doubt" to "the balance of probabilities", meaning
the defendant was more likely guilty than not.
"Pre-emptive" action could be taken before suicide bombers had a
chance to carry out their plans.
[...]
--------------------------------- CUT -------------------------------
--
To unsubscribe, e-mail: debate-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For additional commands, e-mail: debate-help@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx