Carr reinforces anti-terror law: calls for citizenship termination for terrorists |
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Published
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Fri, 22 Jul 2005 23:10
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Highly critical of the second series of blasts in London that rocked the city successively in a fortnight, Australian Premier Bobb Carr exclaimed that an urgent need had arisen to take a serious and ‘searching’ look in to the Australia’s laws pertaining to combat terrorism.
Carr summoned the Commonwealth to be extremely strict anyone involved in any terrorist activity and annul their Australian citizenship if they were found to conceal or lie about their terrorist associations while applying for citizenship.
This New South Wales government’s proposal was sounded by Premier Carr who endorsed what Australian Prime Minister, John Howard commented on the latest London blasts during his meeting with Britain Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Calling terrorism ‘the enemy of all people”, Howard reiterated the affection Australians had for Londoners and supported Britain’s legislation about probing further into anti-terrorist laws to render them more effective.
Carr was quoted as saying, “Currently on the Australian citizenship application form ... there are questions about associations with terrorist organisations. If someone is found guilty of a terrorism offence, and therefore has lied on their citizenship application form, in my view they should be stripped of their citizenship.”
He added that all gaps in “the already formidable armoury of counter-terrorism legislation” had to be corked. In addition, Carr praised the awareness that Londoners in the ill-fated train carriage had shown yesterday by deserting the coach as soon as they spotted an unidentified bag. He said that this move had only substantiated the need and significance of the New South Wales government’s promotion of persuading travellers to be alert and watchful of any fishy action.
Contrarily, Carr also expressed disagreement with Howard's statements where the Prime Minister completely ruled out all possibilities of Australia and Britain's support in the US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, being the reason for incensed terrorist activities in London.
Carr differed at this, and said that one could not be sure of what influence Australia’s connection with the Iraq war had had or what had prompted terrorists to affect such ghastly blasts in London. Saying, “I don't know how the Prime Minister can be so certain”, Carr felt that it was only ‘commonsense’ that the country’s involvement with Iraq had created “a new wave or grievance and hatred and an extra level of recruitment (by terrorist groups).”
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