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| NEWS > 24 October 2006 |
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USA: Covert state police unit
The rights of free speech and assembly define who we are as Americans. They represent the founding principles of a democratic nation. And they should be respected and upheld and safeguarded not only by citizens but by the men and women charged with protecting them. Those fundamentals were completely lost on the members of a covert surveillance unit of the Maryland State Police, their supervisors and commanders.
The unit was a bunch of novice spies on an ill-formed mission who discovered pretty quickly that the peace groups and death penalty opponents they targeted had neither the hist... Read more
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Toronto Star - Ontario, Canada
24 October 2006
This article appeared in the above title/site.
To view it in its entirity click this link.
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Voices: Terror law
We asked whether you think the idea of "preventive arrest" in our anti-terror laws gives police too much power. Here's what you said:
As soon as someone flies a plane into the CN tower, it will be all over the place that "We did not do enough" and "If we did more sooner this would have not happened." We need to be proactive, not always reactive.
Brent Zacharias, Glencairn, Ont.
I don't see how standard police/detective procedures aren't sufficient for getting a warrant, arresting them, and trying them in an open court (even with a media publication ban).
Boris Bosnjak, Toronto
We need to "redefine" our terror laws now to train our resources towards fighting and preventing terror as it is today - not in 5 years time when we could possibly see another attack and our freedoms further restricted. Get in the now, Canada.
Ryan Williams, Belleville
Way too much power. You have to have evidence or reasonable probability to arrest a person, otherwise you strip citizens of their civil liberties ... I would like to think I can trust the police but unfortunately momentarily I do not.
Susan Kitchen, Toronto
Canada is already resembling a police state. And if you think just because you are law abiding that you will never be arrested and hence have nothing to worry about, think again. Remember Maher Arar and the RCMP attitude toward him. ... Never trade freedom for security.
Rennette Madill, Whitby
Preventative arrest and detention of up to a year before trial? That's a police state. If the police have proof of a crime, then arrest and try the accused through the normal channels. Freedom is mainly threatened by governments, not terrorists.
Mayur Shah, Toronto
The police aren't going around arresting every Tom, Dick or Harry, they are arresting those that intend to do something horrible in our society. And for preventing a disaster, the police should have all the power they need.
Scott Burdett, Mississauga
It gives the police too much power. Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence?
Don Gilroy, Montreal
As long as we have a government that wants to cosy-up to George W. Bush, it may be a necessity, but as soon as we get a Canada-oriented government again, the anti-terror laws should be revised. Preventive arrest is never acceptable.
Albert Willems, Tillsonburg
The results of this survey would be much different if the terror cells were successful in bombing the Parliament buildings. I guess the recent rash of police corruption doesn't help matters. Let's do two things: Let the police continue the monitoring, but if ever found guilty of corruption then double their sentence for risking national security.
Wayne McDermott, Cincinnati
Absolutely. This "fear" that is constantly bombarded by the media and government has to stop in order to regain certain freedoms that were taken away by the terror laws that are in place now.
Robert Gravel, Toronto
I fully support the continued use of anti-terror laws. While they may violate the Charter of Rights, this document was drawn up at a time when these types of activities were virtually unheard of in this country. In this case I believe that these laws are justifiable in that they serve to protect the rights of the majority, over the rights of an individual.
Mike Williams, Lethbridge, Alta.
The problem is that there is no way to predict what someone will do in the future. That opens the gates of subjective reasoning and subjective arrests. If a policeman does not like the way someone looks at him, he gets in trouble. Even worse it opens the way for institutionalized racism.
Ghazan Haidar, Toronto
Suspected terrorists have no rights. Political correctness is incongruous with federal security and should not be tolerated. No wonder all the criminals want to come to Canada!
Louise Amm, Toronto
It's a necessary and reasonable power to give to those charged with protecting us. I have no doubt that those opposed to it will scream about charter violations and dream up absurd scenarios involving completely innocent people being snatched off the street but such scenarios do not reflect reality. The reality is that the only people who have anything to fear from such a law are those who are up to no good.
Mike Webster, Mississauga
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