I'm pretty certain I don't know enough about this to form an opinion, but then that doesn't stop everyone else on the Internet from having opinions about stuff does it? I suppose you have to start from the basic premise that something needs to be done to protect our fair nation. If you don't agree that anything needs doing then its all a none starter really isn't it? Then you have to think about where the information (that some people in this country are terrorists and/or aiding terrorism) comes from. Most, if not all, of that information comes from secret sources. Those secret sources of information would soon dry up should they be made public in an open court case. And thats where the problems start. On the one hand we have to protect the basic rights of individuals: I know I don't want to find myself behind bars for no good reason. On the other hand some people really do need reining in but without the reasons and evidence being made public. I can only see one way around all of this. And I don't like it much more than any of the rest of you. If you want something doing about it then we're going to have to trust those with that information. Obviously there needs to be some sort of accountibility so the evidence on which people are being convicted is made public once it is safe to do so. Now I really don't think that giving the Home Secretary sweeping powers to imprison people is the right way to go about it. Why not have some form of semi-secret trials? There are plenty of people with access to this information and who we should be able to trust not to break the official secrets act while still using their own individual judgment. We would probably have to find a few pretty trustworthy judges (do any exist) who would be willing to sign the official secrets act and preside over matters. Am I way off the mark though? Do most people think we should simply let the governament do what they will in times of "war"? Or do most people think that everyone should be left alone until such time as they do something on which they can be publicly tried? Its a tricky one, and I, for one, am glad I'm not having to make those decisions.