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[FYI] Harte Zeiten.



<http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,11026,1137494,00. 
html?=rss>  

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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.

[...]

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