Peer's rebuke to ministers
Liberal Democrat peer criticises threats to force judges to deport extremists
Lord Carlisle, the Liberal Democrat peer appointed to review anti-terror measures, has criticised ministers threatening to force judges to interpret legislation in a way that would allow Islamic extremists to be deported.
The constitutional affairs secretary Lord Falconer has said that a new law could be introduced to amend the Human Rights Act to take account of national security if judges blocked deportation.
Lord Carlisle said trying to persuade judges to consider national security through legal provisions was like "teaching your grandmother to suck eggs". He insisted that judges always considered national security, but they also protected human rights.
The new anti-terror measures could lead to the explusion of nine Algerian men from Scotland. The nine are accused of helping to fund al-Qaida while seeking asylum in the country. Previous attempts to deport the men failed because it was suspected the men would face torture in Algeria.
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