From AP, with thanks to RB: British House of Lords amends anti-terrorism law:
Prime Minister Tony Blair’s plans for a new anti-terrorism law suffered a major setback Monday, as Parliament’s upper chamber insisted that only judges should have the power to impose sweeping controls on terrorist suspects….
The vote was a blow to the government’s plans to give a minister the power to act swiftly against suspects without the need for a trial. Prime Minister Tony Blair insists the new law is necessary to protect Britain from the threat of terrorist attack. Opponents argue, however, that it would erode civil liberties.
The government may try to overturn the Lords amendment when the legislation returns to the House of Commons later this week.
This is an ongoing dilemma. I continue to believe that we can win the war against the global jihadists without giving up the guaranteed liberties of Western societies; I suspect, however, that to do so will require more realism about the true nature of the threat we face.