Europe News
German official calls for internment of terrorists
Jul 8, 2007, 18:55 GMT
Berlin - A call from Germany's Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble for legal powers to intern terrorists before they struck set off a storm of criticism Sunday.
Suggesting that Germany might have to introduce a US-style criminal offence of conspiracy to commit a crime, he said: 'Another question is whether one can treat such dangerous people as combatants and intern them.'
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) official's remarks were to be published in the news magazine Der Spiegel on Monday.
Schaeuble added on ZDF television Sunday: 'You must take risks to defend liberty, but you can't just sit back and do nothing either.'
Social Democrats, who share power in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition, rejected the call. Kurt Beck, the Social Democrat leader, told ZDF Sunday: 'We mustn't kill liberty in an effort to defend it.'
Sebastian Edathy, a senior Social Democrat, said: 'One cannot defend the rule of law from terrorism by weakening principles of the rule of law.'
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Europe
- 1. Pope in Easter message calls for peace and religious tolerance
- 2. Magnificent Messi leads Barcelona to ninth straight win
- 3. Pope leads Easter vigil, calls for "true enlightenment"
- 4. Barcelona increase pressure on Real with romp in Zaragoza
- 5. Pope Benedict XVI leads Easter Vigil
Older Talkback
page: 1
Notice that they only worry about the liberties of the terror suspects, never for the millions of people that have their liberties taken away more and more every day.
Hypocrites and morons with any brain!
page: 1
Dave ThomasJul 8th, 2007 - 20:28:31
Sebastian Edathy, a senior Social Democrat, said: 'One cannot defend the rule of law from terrorism by weakening principles of the rule of law.'
There is no historical basis for this whatsoever. In fact history proves that you have to weaken the rule of law to defend it during war. Look at World War II, World War I, etc. The list is endless. During wartime liberties are always restricted. Idealists arguments are always so monolithic and lacking real world factual support.
Report this comment