Wickham's musings from Chalke

 
The Home Secretary wants to introduce a law to lock up suspected terrorists and those glorifying and inciting terrorism for up to three months before trial to allow police more time to get good evidence, (if there ever will be a trial). Something like what USA is doing in Guantanamo Bay/Camp Delta.

I have no argument with taking liberty away from people who might be dangerous but the law should allow for the possibility that some will be innocent. Innocent until proved guilty is an old saying. It’s a fair bet that a lot of those held for months will be released without charge or found not guilty in a court case.

I get the impression that these suspects will be and already are kept in more severe conditions than normal criminals in jail who have access to workshops, libraries, sport and general socialising with other prisoners. These suspects are not guilty until sentenced so the State should treat them differently.

It should consider the implications for all those locked up for long periods. Suppose they are taken away in a hurry and the heating is left on in their flat building up a large bill, or while in custody they want a computer to manage their financial affairs or a telephone to contact their landlord? I bet they don't get such privileges at present. Yes, it will be expensive to allow suspects some freedoms but this is a cost the State should bear if it wants to lock up suspects some of whom may be innocent. It's the price of our supposedly civilised society.

The State is not entitled to ruin someone's life just because it suspects someone of saying something that a court may later determine is not incitement or glorification of terrorism.

There's a difference between those who might be terrorists and those who glorify or incite terrorism who are presumably less likely to be bombers themselves.

I think these people, if held in custody for months, should be held in something like a small hotel or B&B with a guard on the entrance. Visitors would be able to come and go and the suspects (residents) would have access to telephones, possibly a computer and so on.

We are often told that keeping someone in prison is very expensive - is it £3,000 a month? House arrest or tagging might be a better option as it would allow suspects to live an almost normal life until proved guilty. This would help keep costs down and ensure that those who are eventually found innocent or released without charge do not have their lives disrupted too much.