Many people ask if Britain is safe to visit after the recent terrorist attacks. Most major cities have problems. Wherever they go, people must take heed of their own Government's advice and make their own assessment. We are often asked the same question about Taipei. People have in mind earthquakes and typhoons, and cross-Straits tension. Again, I recommend people to look at our official FCO travel advice.
The Police investigation has proceeded quickly and so far successfully. But Britain's existing anti-terror laws need strengthening. The Government and the Opposition have rapidly agreed a number of measures. The measures involve creating new criminal offences. The offences relate to: preparation for terrorism; indirect incitement to commit a terrorist offence; and, receiving or giving training for terrorist purposes at home and abroad. The new laws need careful drafting and will be put to the Houses of Parliament in the Autumn. The Government is also looking at laws relating to extending the period of detention before someone is charged; the use communication intercepts as evidence; and the use of the internet to promote and encourage terrorist activity. As always, there are human rights concern about legislation of this kind and a balance has to be drawn. Blair said that the new laws would be reasonable given the new circumstances in which Britain finds itself.
People seem surprised that British citizens, people educated and brought up in Britain, can attack their fellow countrymen. I do not find this particularly surprising. Most countries suffer from spies, their own citizens prepared to support another country against their own, possibly leading to loss of freedom, a way of life, death.
For the future, what is important in Britain is to get to the heart of the communities where extremism is being fostered; and to condemn at every level the warped teaching that pulls people into extremism. The ideas being taught have to be confronted head on. Make it clear that America does not an evil foreign policy, that the West is not acting to suppress Islam, that US and UK forces are not in Iraq as an occupying power. The multinational force is there with the consent of the UN and the Iraqi Government; and for the first time in their history eight million Iraqis were able to go and vote. The problem in Iraq is not the multinational force, but the terrorists and insurgents who want to stop Iraq having democracy. The extremism has to be opposed and defeated by argument and knowledge. Islam has to be reclaimed by the mainstream Muslim community, by moderate people.
Everyone should condemn terrorism wherever it occurs - Britain, the United States, Spain, Iraq, Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Indonesia. Our ultimate protection lies in the spread of democracy and human rights. These are not western values opposed to other peoples' values. They are human values of universal application.
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