Terror suspects win appeal over detention
The British government’s anti-terrorism legislation suffered a serious blow today as nine alleged international terrorists won an appeal against their imprisonment without trial.
The suspects, who were arrested under Home Secretary David Blunkett’s emergency powers introduced in the wake of September 11, persuaded the Special Immigration Appeals Commission their detention was unlawful.
Committee chairman Mr Justice Collins said the Government’s Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act, which was rushed through in December, was "not only discriminatory and so unlawful ... But also it is disproportionate".
The law was unfair because it allowed the detention of foreign nationals only, even though British citizens may have been equally involved with al Qaida or other terrorist organisations, he said.
It therefore breached the European Convention on Human Rights, the Commission said.
