Blair Passes Law Against ”Glorification” of Terrorism

|PIC1|A controversial law that makes the "glorification" of terrorism a criminal offence has been pushed through Wednesday, bringing victory upon British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government.

The Blair government was strongly backed up by Britons who were outraged earlier this month when British Muslims protesting against the Danish political cartoons of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad carried signs praising the suicide bombers who killed 52 London commuters in July 2005.

But opponents of the terrorism bill claimed that the new law collides with civil liberties and say that existing laws are sufficient. They also warned that the "woolly" wording of the new law could make it illegal for people to speak in support of Palestinian rights or the Irish Republican Army.

An earlier version of the government's bill barely made it through the House of Commons in November. The House of Lords rejected the "glorification" wording, saying it was too vague, and substituted milder language.

But since then, public attitudes toward Britain's large Muslim immigrant community have hardened, and the House of Commons voted 315-277 to restore the original language, easily overriding objections from the opposition Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats.

Mr Blair said: "People outside will infer that we have decided to dilute our law at the very moment when we should be strengthening it and sending a united signal that we aren't going to tolerate those who glorify terrorism in our country."