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The Independent accused Blair of engaging in "knee-jerk politics."
(Reuters)
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LONDON,
August 6, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - British media
seemed split down the middle Saturday, August 6, on the new sweeping
measures declared by Prime Minister Tony Blair in the wake of the London
bombings.
The
Guardian dismissed the measures
as "ill-considered measures", and predicted that proposed
legislation to outlaw "justifying or glorifying terrorism"
would be "shot down" in the courts in short order.
"Let
us be clear that the most compelling objection to several of the
proposals made by the prime minister yesterday (Friday) is not that they
intrude upon the human rights of every single resident and citizen of
this country, although they certainly do that," the paper said.
"Instead,
the foremost objection is that these measures would have done nothing to
stop the first and most deadly wave of suicide bombing on London's
transport network on July 7.
"The
first and best test of any legislation remains: will it work? Lists of
proscribed websites will not change anything, and are likely to produce
far more false leads and innocent suspects than clear and present
dangers."
Click
to Read the Guardian's Article in Full…
The
Independent was more blunt and
accused Blair of engaging in "knee-jerk politics" and failing
to address "the root causes of Islamist terrorism".
Blair
unveiled Friday new sweeping anti-terror powers that include deporting
and excluding foreigners who are accused of "condoning and inciting
violence" and closing worship places used for "fomenting
terrorism."
Blair
said the government will also "proscribe Hizb ut-Tahrir and the
successor organisation of Al Muhajiroun."
Click
to Read a Q&A Guardian’s Piece on Blair’s Remarks…
"Significant"
Other
papers were supportive.
The
Daily Mail hailed Blair’s move as "significant. "
"This
is a hugely significant moment in the campaign against terror. The penny
finally appears to have dropped," said the paper, taking a break
for once from its strident anti-Blair editorial line.
"Tony
Blair at last acts to kick out those who incite terrorism in our
country," agreed the top-selling tabloid Sun, referring to
plans to deport foreigners who foment terrorism.
The
Times welcomed what it called
"actions ... to defend Britain's freedom," saying: "Most
Britons have for years believed that the best way to deal with foreign
trouble-makers is simply to deport them."
It
said its biggest objection was not that Blair's proposals run roughshod
on human rights, "although they certainly do," but that
"these measures would have done nothing to stop" the July 7
bombings in which 56 people died, including four bombers.
"Nothing
(set out by Blair) was tailored to the task of reclaiming the minds and
allegiances of that tiny number of young Muslims whose views have become
so distorted that they are tempted to regard killing innocent
people," it said.
The
right-wing Telegraph broadly welcomed Blair's proposals.
"Much
of what he said might have been lifted from our own editorial two weeks
ago, in which we set out 10 steps to secure Britain, ranging from opting
out of the European Convention on Human Rights to criminalizing
murderous propaganda," it said.
It
further voiced concern that Blair’s enthusiasm is just short-lived.
"Was
Blair truly determined to bring about a generational shift in policy, or
was he chiefly concerned with short-term headlines?" it wondered.
