A novel approach to our neocon problem:

[spindrifter]

New blow for Home Office as judge quashes six terror orders

Alan Travis and Audrey Gillan
Thursday June 29, 2006
The Guardian

A high court judge last night demolished a central plank of the government's anti-terror policy when he quashed "control orders" on six suspected terrorists, saying the home secretary "had no power to make them under human rights law".

John Reid launched a furious counter-attack last night, saying he "strongly disagreed" with the ruling by Mr Justice Sullivan, which overturns nearly half the 14 control orders currently in force. He will try to overturn it in the court of appeal next month. Mr Reid said the control order system was needed to deal with international terror suspects who could not be deported on human rights grounds to countries where there was risk of torture.

...Mr Justice Sullivan had declared that the system of control orders, which places the terror suspects under "draconian" restrictions just short of house arrest for up to 12 months, was incompatible with the European human rights convention. The decision, if upheld by the appeal court, will leave a big hole in the government's anti-terror policy as ministers will be left with no powers to detain terror suspects whom they are not able to prosecute in an open criminal court.

<snip>

Mr Justice Sullivan said: "The freedom to meet any person of one's choice by prior arrangement is significant. As is the freedom to attend any temple, mosque, church as whatever you choose." He went on: "I am left in no doubt whatsoever that the cumulative effect of the order has been to deprive to respondents of their liberty, in breach of article 5. I do not consider that this is a borderline case." The judge said he had taken into account the importance of the needs of protecting the public from acts of terrorism, but "human rights or international law must not be infringed or compromised".

<snip>

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,1808325,00.html

+++++++++++
Wow! The British court is actually taking the Home Office to task! Imagine! They are standing up for human rights, even in the face of potential Terra.

[MadMaddie]

1. They will not let go of the torture will they?