Britain Starts Race to Pass Tough Anti-Terrorism Laws (UK -Patriot Act)

Britain Starts Race to Pass Tough Anti-Terrorism Laws

2 hours, 20 minutes ago World - Reuters


By Katherine Baldwin

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Tony Blair (news - web sites) began a bid Tuesday to speed through parliament new anti-terrorism laws that a member of his own party has called the greatest attack on the nation's liberty in three centuries.



Opposition to the plans -- under which the government can put foreign and UK suspects under house arrest without trial -- could be politically embarrassing for the prime minister just weeks before an expected May election.

snip

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&ncid=586&e=5&u=/nm/20050222/wl_nm/security_britain_dc

The legislation has sparked a furious debate over the balance between liberty and security at a time when London says the threat from terrorism warrants "extreme measures."