Main focus of Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Anti-terror laws and civil rights

After the discovery of a planned terrorist attack on airplanes, and almost five years after the attack of September 11, several European countries are planning to tighten their anti-terror laws. Commentators discuss the possible contours of a security architecture which responds to terrorist threats without upsetting the balance between security and democracy.

The Independent - United Kingdom

To counter any possible terrorist attacks in the air, the British authorities are considering focusing their surveillance on potential suicide bombers, whose profile would be established according to their ethnic or religious background. "The Government would be ill-advised to sanction such a system. For it is obvious that it would mean the intensive targeting of those travellers of Asian, or Islamic, appearance," warns the paper. "We should bear in mind that there have been a number of non-Asian converts among those radicalised by Islamist propaganda ... This sort of crude profiling could also alienate the very communities whose co-operation will be needed to foil terrorist attempts ... If an entire ethnic community is treated as potential criminals, they are unlikely to co-operate with the authorities." (16/08/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Religion, » Weltanschauung, » United Kingdom

Hospodářské noviny - Czech Republic

"Fear creates suspicion and suspicion can contribute to the quicker exposure of conspiracies. But suspicion can also take on unhealthy dimensions," writes Adam Cerny, commenting on the debate in Great Britain about subjecting Muslims to extra security checks at airports. "The dilemma is obvious. How can we prevent terrorist attacks without jeopardising the values of democracy? Doesn't this smack of government-ordained racism?... Democracy is not democracy when it classifies people according to the colour of their skin or religious affiliation. But democracy should not forget that those who plan these attacks would like to blow up democracy with one big bang." (16/08/2006)

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All available articles from » Adam Černý

Magyar Hírlap - Hungary

György Fodor speculates on what a future with even tougher security measures for air traffic would look like. "People stand in long cues at check-in desks with transparent plastic bags containing passports, plane tickets, medications and tampons. Mothers drink a couple of gulps from their babies' bottles – but only after the airport staff has given them permission to do so. Perhaps the time will come when passengers are not allowed to wear any clothing at all. They're shaved and disinfected before they get onto planes in case they have bio-weapons on their skin. During longer flights people watch each other closely, full of suspicion. No-one dares make a fast move for fear of being dragged off in handcuffs by the security personnel." Fodor fears such a scenario but agrees that passengers must share part of the responsibility for ensuring safety. "Respecting individual freedom and protecting privacy is very important. But many forget that joint, and perhaps one day global, safety regulations do not necessarily have to contradict the principles of freedom and democracy." (16/08/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Global
All available articles from » György Fodor

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung - Germany

In the newspaper's leading editorial, Peter Carsten criticises the lack of a coordinated strategy in Germany's security policy. He points out that following each terrorist attack, laws were tightened but never evaluated for effectiveness. Now there are plans to increase the powers of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) within Germany. "Didn't the BND recently come under attack because it was spying on journalists here in Germany – in most cases illegally? The granting of increased powers to the BND here in Germany looks like a reward for illegal activities. What is needed in the fight against terrorism is not new laws and soldiers as much as it is more money (as in all areas) and new ideas. Since 9/11 the German parliament has never dared to make a thorough analysis of Germany's capabilities and omissions which – like the American 9/11 commission – could serve as a basis for a new security policy. The interior ministry has not come up with any new concepts that have reached the public domain." (16/08/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Germany
All available articles from » Peter Carstens

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