Lords again block Blair terror law
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LONDON, England -- Britain's House of Lords has rejected key parts of Prime Minister Tony Blair's terrorism bill Thursday, as Monday's deadline loomed under which 11 foreign terrorist suspects could be set free.
Blair won the backing of the lower House of Commons Wednesday after making several concessions on the law, which includes house arrest, electronic tagging and curfews for terror suspects.
But many peers in the upper House of Lords remain opposed to key aspects of the Prevention of Terrorism Bill, arguing it introduces imprisonment without trial, flouting a long-standing principle of British justice .
Current powers to keep foreign terrorism suspects in jail without trial expire on Monday, after which 11 men, mostly in London's top-security Belmarsh prison, could walk free.
Campaigners have dubbed their case "Britain's Guantanamo."
The battle to replace the old laws with controversial new powers including house arrest has whipped up a political firestorm over rights and freedom and has fast become an issue in the run-up to Britain's expected May election.
Blair has a majority of his Labour party in the Commons and has won a majority for his control order measures there.
But the unelected Lords, in which he does not have a majority, rejected key parts of the bill again on Thursday, raising the prospect of a series of "ping-pong" votes between the two chambers until one side blinks.
Blair has conceded that judges rather than politicians will have the final say on all forms of "control orders" -- up to and including house arrest -- on terrorism suspects, and that parliament will review the law annually.
But he has refused opponents' demands for a "sunset clause" in the bill whereby it would lapse entirely in November, allowing legislators to start from scratch.
The Lords on Thursday voted 250 to 100 to reinstate the sunset clause, albeit at the later date of March next year, defying the convention that they do not repeatedly flout the view of the lower, more powerful chamber.
At the heart of the controversy are the 11 prisoners, mostly in London's top security Belmarsh jail.
"On Monday, if this (bill) is not passed, these men will be released. I think that would be a grave threat to national security," Sir Ian Blair, head of London's Metropolitan Police, told reporters.
Britain's highest court ruled late last year against the existing powers, which allow for the indefinite detention of foreign terror suspects. Those powers lapse on Monday.
Tony Blair's spokesman said the premier had told his Cabinet he would not back down over the sunset clause.
"He said it would cast a pall of uncertainty over legislation that's necessary for national security," the spokesman said.
The 11 suspects include Abu Qatada, a Syrian cleric who Britain says was the spiritual inspiration for the lead September 11 hijacker.
The debate was stoked further at the weekend when recently retired London police chief Sir John Stevens said more than 100 "Osama bin Laden-trained terrorists" are on the streets of Britain, determined to carry out mass attacks.
Security is a paramount issue in the run-up to an expected May 5 election.
Blair is widely expected to win, but the opposition Conservatives believe they are gaining ground on issues including the proposed terrorism laws.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
