Blair cracks down on Islamist radicals

Britain's Tony Blair unveiled sweeping anti-terrorism measures yesterday to silence or deport Islamist radicals even at the expense of human rights laws, alarming Muslim leaders and civil rights campaigners.

Saying the landscape had changed since last month's London bombings, the Prime Minister announced plans to ban two Islamist groups and bring in new powers to expel or exclude foreign nationals who incite violence or glorify terrorism.

"The first batch of deportation orders will begin shortly. Let noone be in any doubt - the rules of the game are changing," Mr Blair told a news conference.

Some of the measures put Mr Blair on collision course with the courts and human rights activists who had reserved judgment since the July bombings on his anti-terrorism plans.

They also threatened to rupture a cross-party consensus in place since the attacks. The opposition Liberal Democrats said Mr Blair could not count on their support, warning him the measures could inflame tensions.

Four British Muslims, three of Pakistani origin, killed themselves and 52 others in blasts on three underground trains and a bus on July 7. A second wave of attacks on July 21 killed no one but caused panic when four bombs failed to explode.

Since the bombings, Mr Blair has been under pressure from much of the media to silence or expel "preachers of hate" who use mosques to incite violence, or who have justified the attacks.

Mr Blair said he would also seek new powers to close down places of worship used to foment extremism and deport any foreigner who actively engaged with extremist bookshops or websites.

The moves come as Italy and other European countries toughen their anti-terrorism laws in the wake of the London attacks. Mr Blair said he wanted to work with the Muslim community, not alienate them. But critics said he had gone too far in the delicate balancing act between liberty and security.

Mr Blair said Britain could override human rights laws if courts blocked deportations and London failed to gain assurances from other countries that they will not torture deportees. Britain's courts have in the past thwarted government expulsion measures because the European Convention on Human Rights requires guarantees deportees will not be mistreated.

"The circumstances of our national security have now self-evidently changed... We can retest it and if necessary we can amend the human rights act and that covers the British court's interpretation of the law," Mr Blair said.

Shami Chakrabati of rights group Liberty dismissed Mr Blair's plan to accept "pieces of paper" as guarantees against torture and condemned Mr Blair's willingness to override human rights laws.