Blair outlines plans to tackle extremists

Prime Minister Tony Blair has outlined a series of tough security measures to tackle religious extremists.

Mr Blair announced that the government was launching a one-month consultation on new grounds for excluding and deporting people from the UK, at his monthly media briefing.

These would include fostering hatred, advocating violence to further a person’s beliefs or justifying or validating such violence.

Mr Blair also said that new anti-terror legislation would be introduced in the autumn, which would include an offence of condoning or glorifying terrorism, which would apply anywhere, not just in the UK.

The Prime Minister also said that a list of extremist website, bookshops and centres would be compiled and those involved with them could face deportation.

He also announced that the measures included plans to automatically refuse asylum to anyone connected to terrorism.

Mr Blair warned that the government was prepared to amend human rights laws in order to introduce the new measures. He said: “Let no one be in any doubt that the rules of the games are changing.”

Under the new measures, Muslim groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir and the now-disbanded Al Muhajiroun, would also be banned.

The Muslim Council of Britain criticised the decision saying that Hizb ut-Tahrir were “an avowedly non-violent group”. Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary General, said: The MCB hold no brief for Hizb ut-Tahrir – they are a group with whom the mainstream Muslim community has strong and well known disagreements concerning participation in our political process. However, banning Hizb ut-Tahrir is certainly not the solution and may well prove to be counterproductive.”

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy also expressed concerns about the measures. Mr Kennedy said: “The Prime Minister intends to ban Muslim organisations, seek powers to close down mosques, and deport people who visit particular bookshops or websites. He is running the risk of inflaming tensions and alienating Muslims at the very time we need the different communities in Britain to pull together.

“The Liberal Democrats will examine the detail of these measures, but the Prime Minister should not count on our support.”

However, the Conservatives welcomed the measures. Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: “It is vital that the Home Secretary is able to use his powers to deport or exclude non-UK citizens who threaten our national security - we have been calling for him to use these for some time. There is no reason why they cannot be applied as soon as possible.”

(KMcA/SP)