Emergency powers Bill receives mixed response

Lawyers have given a mixed response to the government's emergency anti-terrorism legislation published this week.The Bill - which expands on the powers established in the Terrorism Act 2000 - includes measures to extend the provisions concerning incitement to racial hatred to cover religious hatred, and to detain indefinitely suspected international terrorists living in Britain.'The notion that we should be able to detain people indefinitely on the basis of the home secretary's suspicions is not welcome,' said Stephen Grosz, a partner at London civil liberties firm, Bindman & Partners, adding: 'The outlawing of religious hatred can be a significant protection if properly applied.'Franklin Sinclair, chairman of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association, said: 'In the present climate it is understandable that such action has been taken...

However there has to be vigorous overseeing of any law that includes locking someone up without proper procedure.'Law Society President David McIntosh said: 'While we recognise that recent events mean there is a need for greater security, it is vital that this legislation is proportionate and properly focused on the ends it hopes to achieve.

We are particularly concerned at the proposal to remove access to judicial review in respect of some decisions...

Proper judicial scrutiny is an essential safeguard to ensure that powers are not abused.'John Wadham, the solicitor director of Liberty, said: 'The internment proposal is by some way the worst proposal in a generally alarming and ill-conceived Bill.

Too many of these measures will not make us safer but will make us less free.'Andrew Towler