One year after July London bombings
‘War on terror’ undermining our democratic rights
ON 7 JULY 2005 four suicide bombers on London’s public transport
system blew themselves up killing 52 people and injuring hundreds.
Two weeks later another group of terrorists attempted a similar
attack but their bombs failed to detonate and they were subsequently
arrested. However, the police operation led to the gunning down of an
innocent Brazilian migrant worker, Jean Charles de Menezes in Stockwell
Tube station.
The Socialist Party, whilst condemning the bombings, warned that the
government would use these events to deflect criticism of the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan and also introduce new draconian ‘anti-terrorist’
laws which would undermine democratic rights.
"The attacks indiscriminately killed and injured ordinary people from
many of London’s communities. Nonetheless, the fact that very small
groups of alienated Muslims have felt motivated to carry them out is
connected to the war on Iraq, the treatment of the Palestinians and to
many other areas of the world where the imperialist powers have worsened
the situation of poor and working-class people through their drive for
economic domination.
"However, the terrible actions of the suicide bombers only plays into
the hands of the enemies of working-class Muslims and all working
people, because they allow the government to respond by attacking civil
liberties, and the right-wing media and far-right parties to respond by
whipping up racial tension." (the socialist 28/7/05)
This climate of fear and racism is partly reflected in the increased
vote for the far-right BNP in the May 2006 local elections and in
opinion polls which show a majority of adults (74% in a recent Guardian
poll 27/6/06) supporting pre-emptive police raids such as that in Forest
Gate, east London, last month – despite the shooting of an innocent man,
Abdul Kahar.
We warned after the July bombings that the killing of Jean Charles de
Menezes by police had set a dangerous precedent. "Sir Ian Blair, London
Metropolitan Police Chief, has declared that the ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy
will remain and that more innocent people could be shot." (the socialist
28/7/05)
All the new police and legal powers introduced after the 11 September
2001 attacks in the USA and after the London bombings have made little
difference in combating terrorism. After all, two of the 7 July bombers
were known to the security forces.
In the last 12 months there has been a huge increase in stop and
search measures by police of black and Asian people. Over 1,000 people
have been charged under various anti-terrorist laws but only a handful
have been found guilty of ‘terrorist-related’ offences.
These measures have, however, curtailed democratic rights – including
freedom of speech, introduced house arrest (‘control orders’) and
increased police arrest of ‘terror suspects’ without charge to one
month. (MPs are now calling for this to be extended to three months.)
Tony Blair’s support for Bush’s ‘war on terror’ has produced two
destructive wars – Afghanistan and Iraq – and led to the indefinite
detention of people in Guantanamo Bay. It is these imperialist wars that
have stirred up hatred and hostility to the West throughout the world
and helped terrorist organisations increase political support.
Rather than creating a safer world, Blair and Bush’s wars have led to
more violence and greater insecurity in the world.
