BLAIR MOVES TO CRUSH TERRORISTS
Blair moves to crush terrorists
By MARY O'CARROLL
A RETURN to the statute books of internment without trial and measures to swiftly jail terrorist suspects are among the issues being considered by British officials following the raft of anti-terrorist legislation agreed by the Irish Cabinet on Wednesday.
Welcoming the proposed changes agreed by the Government and described by the Taoiseach as draconian, North Secretary Mo Mowlam and British Prime Minister Tony Blair said they would further strengthen British law to do whatever was necessary to crush the Real IRA and other republican groups.
The proposed measures could see moves to jail paramilitaries on the word of senior RUC officers in the same way as will prevail in the south.
Suspects are at present only convicted on the grounds of illegal membership if they confess to belonging to a proscribed organisation.
Dr Mowlam said: "Our own legal framework already provides extensive powers. I am looking actively at ways of further strengthening them.
"In particular it is at present difficult to secure convictions for the offence of membership of a proscribed organisation, such as the Real IRA which has admitted to Saturday's bombing.
"I am therefore considering changes similar to those which the Irish Government have announced to make it easier to prove membership.''
Tony Blair praised the speed of Dublin's resolve and said it showed the Government was staying true to its word.
"There is unprecedented co-operation between our two governments as we take our plans forward,'' he said.
The North's First Minister David Trimble urged the British to move forward in tandem with the Irish Government by introducing matching anti-terrorist laws.
By MARY O'CARROLL
A RETURN to the statute books of internment without trial and measures to swiftly jail terrorist suspects are among the issues being considered by British officials following the raft of anti-terrorist legislation agreed by the Irish Cabinet on Wednesday.
Welcoming the proposed changes agreed by the Government and described by the Taoiseach as draconian, North Secretary Mo Mowlam and British Prime Minister Tony Blair said they would further strengthen British law to do whatever was necessary to crush the Real IRA and other republican groups.
The proposed measures could see moves to jail paramilitaries on the word of senior RUC officers in the same way as will prevail in the south.
Suspects are at present only convicted on the grounds of illegal membership if they confess to belonging to a proscribed organisation.
Dr Mowlam said: "Our own legal framework already provides extensive powers. I am looking actively at ways of further strengthening them.
"In particular it is at present difficult to secure convictions for the offence of membership of a proscribed organisation, such as the Real IRA which has admitted to Saturday's bombing.
"I am therefore considering changes similar to those which the Irish Government have announced to make it easier to prove membership.''
Tony Blair praised the speed of Dublin's resolve and said it showed the Government was staying true to its word.
"There is unprecedented co-operation between our two governments as we take our plans forward,'' he said.
The North's First Minister David Trimble urged the British to move forward in tandem with the Irish Government by introducing matching anti-terrorist laws.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/074
Published Date: 21-Aug-98
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