Birmingham ‘anti-terrorism’ arrests
After the latest round of ‘anti-terrorism’ arrests in Birmingham, the media have predictably focused not on the what has happened (and the content of the alleged plot) but on the reactions on either side. Supporters saying that this is another triumph for police who do a difficult job against a momentous threat, opponents saying that the raid was heavy-handed and unnecessary.
I would prefer to wait until we know something substantial before forming an opinion. If these men are in fact guilty of plotting to kidnap someone then the police will have done their job well. If it is another misguided attack on innocent Muslims based on garbage intelligence, the police will be rightly criticised. But we cannot make such judgements until the suspects are either convicted or released.
For now we can be happy that, for once, dozens of heavily armed police managed to take on sleeping, unarmed men in the dark without shooting any of them.