British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Friday night signalled a turning point in British postwar liberalism when he announced plans to deport extremist foreign Muslim clerics without appeal, close down mosques preaching hate, proscribe extremist Muslim groups and extend the use of control orders to British nationals advocating terrorism.
The British prime minister also promised to wage a battle with the UK and European courts, warning that he will amend the Human Rights Act if necessary to override likely judicial objections to the new proposed deportation regime.
A commission will also be established to examine the future of multiculturalism, looking at measures to better integrate those who deliberately separate themselves from British laws and culture.
Blair said at a special Downing Street press conference: "If people want to come here, either fleeing persecution, or seeking a better life, they play by our rules and our way of life. If they don't, they are going to have to go because they are threatening our people and way of life. Coming to Britain is not a right. And even when people come here, staying here carries with it a duty."
His startling package of measures sparked alarm amongst many Muslim groups and lawyers and led Charles Kennedy, the Liberal Democrat leader, to warn that Blair was endangering the cross- party consensus developed since the July 7 terrorist bombings. The civil rights group Liberty said: "The fundamental values of a democracy cannot be changed because we are provoked by terrorists."
But the promise to end Britain's reputation as a sanctuary for extremism won broad backing from the police and the Conservatives.
Blair said: "Let no one be in doubt. The rules of the game have changed. If you come to this country from abroad, don't meddle with extremism, because if you do, or get engaged with it, you are going to go back out again."
He added: "We're angry about these extremists. We're angry about what they're doing to our country. We're angry about people abusing our good nature and our toleration."
Many of the measures -- drawn up by Downing Street and the Home Office in great secrecy -- will require primary legislation and Blair said he may recall parliament next month to start the legal process. The new grounds for deportation will not require legislation and will include fostering hatred, advocating violence to further a person's beliefs, or justifying or glorifying terrorism.
Deportations of extremist clerics will start after finalizing memoranda of understandings with as many as 10 nations, including Jordan, Algeria and Lebanon, to ensure anyone deported to those countries will not be subject to torture.
Blair hopes the memoranda will overcome British court objections dating back to 1996 that deportations to such countries breach Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights since it makes them liable to torture or degrading treatment.
He conceded that he was about to engage in a battle with the courts, but he hopes the new climate created by the bombings will persuade the judiciary to give a stronger emphasis to the human right to live in peace.
But he added: "Should legal obstacles arise we will legislate further including if necessary amending the Human Rights Act."
Blair said foreign nationals will be deported if they are found to be actively engaged in extremist Web site, bookshops, centers, networks and organizations of concern. A separate database will be established consisting of individuals who pose a threat to British society. Anyone on the database will be excluded from entry, with any appeal only taking place outside Britain.
Blair pleased some Labor Muslim MPs by announcing he was proscribing two Islamist organizations, Hizb ut-Tahrir and al-Mujahiroun. Imran Waheed, spokesman for Hizb ut-Tahrir in the UK, said: "This exposes the fundamentalism of the government in curtailing legitimate Islamic political debate in Britain. Our organization has a record of 50 years of non-violent political activity, primarily against dictators who rule the Muslim world. We will resist the ban through what legal means are available."
London Mayor Ken Livingstone condemned the vagueness of the deportation grounds, claiming that 20 years ago it would have meant banning Nelson Mandela or anyone supporting him.
The Muslim Council of Britain said the measures might bar expressions of support for people living under brutal foreign occupation.
Blair also announced that the maximum time limit for British compliance with extradition requests will be cut, and the police will be granted as yet unspecified extra time to detain suspected terrorists beyond the current 14 days.
He insisted the planned commission on multiculturalism would not threaten anyone's culture or religion.
But Blair said: "There are people who are isolated in their own communities who have been here for 20 years and still do not speak English."
"That worries me because there is separateness that may be unhealthy," he said.
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