Wednesday, 23 November 2005France's parliament is due to debate an anti-terror law on Wednesday, November 22, motivated by the July 7 London bombings, following in the footsteps of other European states including Britain and Italy.
"Never has the terrorist threat been so high. It is all the more serious because it has changed in nature," France's Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin was quoted by Agence France Presse (AFP) as telling a conference of police and government experts.
According to the draft terror law, approved by the French cabinet last week, the number of video-cameras installed in public places in France , which currently has only some 60,000 cameras compared to four million in Britain , will be largely increased.
Longer prison terms for convicts in terrorism cases and the maximum period for which a suspect can be held without charge, from four to six days will also be the center stage of the law blue print.
Rail, maritime and air transport companies would be obliged to supply the authorities with previously confidential customer information, while Internet cafes would have to store data about their customers' connections to the web, according to AFP.
Similar cases
Several European countries have introduced extra police measures after the London bombings last July.
Many human rights groups said the new laws put at stake personal freedoms and privacy.
Early this month, British lawmakers rejected Prime Minister Tony Blair-backed draft terror law to hold terrorism suspects without charge for up to 90 days, voting instead for a maximum 28-day period.
Blair's controversial proposal was defeated by 322 votes to 291 in the lower House of Commons, his first defeat on a legislative proposal in parliament since taking office in 1997.
In Denmark, a bill to increase police powers of surveillance was rejected by parliament in July.
In Sweden, which has far less video surveillance of public places than Britain, a recent study concluded that the current system works well and does not need to be expanded.
In Italy, the parliament has given final approval to a package of anti-terror laws, late in July.
AFP via IslamOnline.net News
November 22, 2005 |
Wednesday, 23 November 2005
Islam Online.net
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