Learn from the mistakes of others

Sunday, August 14, 2005 10:10 AM ET
Former London police chief says human rights "industry" has stranglehold on UK
Alexandria Samuel

[JURIST] Former London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord John Stevens slammed British human rights groups [on] Sunday for their efforts to block the controversial new UK policy of deporting persons preaching violence or hatred or posing a threat to national security. Prime Minister Tony Blair announced the policy changes earlier this month following the July London bombings, and UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke subsequently announced plans to deport 10 foreign Islamists arrested last week under the antiterror measures. In an article for the News of the World weekly, the outspoken Stevens wrote:

If the human rights industry hadn't managed to secure its stranglehold on Britain, they would have been kicked out years ago. Now, hand-wringing civil rights lawyers and like-minded judges will go into top gear to keep them here.

Best known for his role in chairing investigations into collusion between security forces in Northern Ireland and loyalist paramilitaries, Stevens retired as London Police Commissioner in February 2005. AFP has more.

http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2005/08/former-london-police-chief-says-human.php