Terrorism suspects detained in London police raid go free
Remember that police raid on a suspected chemical weapons laboratory in London on June 2? (If not, see here.) Yeah, well, it looks like there may have been a problem, according to the BBC.
Two men, Abul Koyair and Mohammed Abdul Kahar, both in their early-20s, were picked up and were being "held under the Terrorism Act 2000 and questioned on suspicion of terrorism involvement". Kahar was even shot by police during the raid.
So what's the problem? Well, it seems, there wasn't any evidence against the two suspects. Or at least not enough. Both men have been "freed without charge".
Oops.
The authorities are unapologetic: "Police have defended the raid and said inquiries are ongoing." But they have to defend it, don't they? They can't admit that they made a mistake that included a shooting.
For all I know, "inquiries" may yet reveal more to the case than is presently known. Or they may not. Regardless, this is the sort of thing that can happen when law enforcement, particularly when the "law" deals with something as nebulous as terrorism, gets out of hand.
At the very least, an apology might be in order, don't you think? Perhaps even one from 10 Downing Street.
Two men, Abul Koyair and Mohammed Abdul Kahar, both in their early-20s, were picked up and were being "held under the Terrorism Act 2000 and questioned on suspicion of terrorism involvement". Kahar was even shot by police during the raid.
So what's the problem? Well, it seems, there wasn't any evidence against the two suspects. Or at least not enough. Both men have been "freed without charge".
Oops.
The authorities are unapologetic: "Police have defended the raid and said inquiries are ongoing." But they have to defend it, don't they? They can't admit that they made a mistake that included a shooting.
For all I know, "inquiries" may yet reveal more to the case than is presently known. Or they may not. Regardless, this is the sort of thing that can happen when law enforcement, particularly when the "law" deals with something as nebulous as terrorism, gets out of hand.
At the very least, an apology might be in order, don't you think? Perhaps even one from 10 Downing Street.
posted by Michael J.W. Stickings at
8:10 PM
3 Comments:
Michael, for me, this whole charade just epitomizes how terrorism (and the supposed war against it) actually fits neatly into the pocket of ill-controlled goverment like a slick Swiss Army knife. Its recent presence functions an as insta-pardon for all kinds of naughtiness: spying, bombing, racial profiling, lying, and now shots taken at a 20-year-old British kid. Terrorism (or, as I would claim, the eventual and effectual fear of it) apparently means never having to say, "I'm sorry." I am really starting to hate it here, but the problem is here, there, and everywhere. I am more afraid of the government and their plans to "protect" me than I am of those perpetrators of violence, yielding the real issue: who is the actual terrorist?
I become more of a conspiracy theorist every day...
By
Anonymous, at 1:30 AM
If this case does indeed turn out to have been a mistake on the part of the British government, it should be a wake up call for those here in the US. Considering that we have no idea what exactly the Bush administration has been doing with their NSA surveillance programs, whose to say we wouldn't have a similiar incident occur over here? Only this time the results may be deadly.
By
The Xsociate, at 2:56 AM
And don't forget the man who was shot to death by London police shortly after the bombs in the tubes.
At what point does caution become cowardice?
By
Capt. Fogg, at 9:33 AM
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