Terrorists?

[Pootle]

Thankfully, there hasn't been a terrorist attack in this country. Is this because our security service is quietly doing its job, all terrorists are locked up, or there isn't a terrorist threat?

[El D]

Not at all. I hope you are not suggesting imprisonment without trial is the only way to combat terrorism? If there is an attack, that is the price we pay for our involvement on the world scene and our way of life. If we start restricting our freedoms then we start to lose the very essence of what differentiates us from the savages.

 

I have no idea why people start droning on about what nasty people these terrorists are - they blow things up, kill, maim, torture innocents and have an agenda against western society - gee I never guessed what bad people they are. So what about accused murderers and rapists? Why are these measures not talked about for them? I really am so puzzled by the evident lack of thought people have given these measures.

[Miss Zippy]

I don't see how any rational person can gain any comfort or feeling of security from the idea that a person can be detained or subjected to a control order on the basis of a 'suspicion'. So we're happy for a politician to have the power to detain someone or impose a control order where there is no firm proof on which to base a criminal prosecution, just so that the government can be seen to be doing something, while the real terrorists are still at large? As someone else touched on, the problem is that some people have such xenophobic attitudes that they think these anti-terrorism measures will only affect "Johnny Foreigner". They don't appreciate it could be the beginning of a very slippery slope.  I'll take my (in my view) slightly increased risk of being blown up by a bomb in exchange for living a life with minimum state intervention and in a country which respects the right not to be imprisoned without a fair trial. 

[Abe Ditori]

One of the best ways of spreading terror is to spread rumours of iminant attacks and then not follow through. The mere thought is enough to create panic and make the government spend out on security measures.

Then, when everyone thinks that nothing is going to happen and the guard is down actually attack with something minor.

In answer to your question yes there is a terror threat and yes security should be increased.

[kick3m0n]

"What if there is an attack.  Who will get the blame."

 

Therein lies an example of the kind of daft nanny state we've become.  If there is an attack, the people to blame are the ones who perpetrated it.   How did we get to the point where we think  bad things shouldn't happen to us?  When something catastrophic or shocking happens (or even if we trip on a kerbstone), we have to find some one or some thing to blame.  Why do we not realise that ** ** happens?   Bad things happen to good people, as well as vice versa.  It puzzles and annoys me that we start pointing fingers and look to attach blame before we've even finished dealing with the matter itself, be it a massive disaster or a "trip or fall at work".