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For years, Britain has struggled with its own version of the American debate over the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba: how best to deal with individuals regarded as terrorist threats who cannot readily be brought to trial, usually because of concern that important evidence would compromise intelligence sources....   >>>

For years, Britain has struggled with its own version of the American debate over the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba: how best to deal with individuals regarded as terrorist threats who cannot readily be brought to trial, usually because of concern that important evidence would compromise intelligence sources.



On Wednesday, the legal dilemmas involved came into sharp focus when the government of Prime Minister David Cameron unveiled new measures aimed at easing some controls on terrorism suspects in the hope of at least partly meeting the objections of human rights activists who have said that the existing system breaches Britain’s centuries-old traditions of civil liberties.

As it stands, the detention system subjects suspects to curfews that can run for 16 hours a day, forbids them access to cellphones and computers, and

requires them to wear electronic tagging devices monitored by the police. Eight men are now being held this way, all of them accused of being Islamic militants, all born outside Britain and all with identities shielded by court orders.

Home Secretary Theresa May announced the changes on Wednesday, and said the measures would be presented for Parliament’s approval as part of a new system, officially known as Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures, to take effect by the end of the year.



**The excerpt is taken from the New York Times article, "Britain Proposes Easing Controls on Terrorism Suspects to Calm Rights Concerns," as written by John F. Burns, linked below. Click through to read more of the implications of the reform of the terror suspect detention system.**