The failure of lawfare against terrorism in the UK

Independent:

Seven out of eight people arrested under Britain's terror laws since the al-Qa'ida attacks on America in 2001 were not convicted of a terrorism offence, figures released yesterday show.

More than three-quarters of those imprisoned were given sentences of less than 10 years and a half will be released in less than five years.

Between 11 September 2001 and 31 March 2008, there were 1,471 arrests under terrorism offences in Britain. Of these, 521 resulted in a charge of some form, with 222 people charged with terror offences, and 118 people charged with terror-related offences, such as conspiracy to murder.

Civil rights campaigners last night seized on the figures as more evidence to support concerns that police were using tough terror powers indiscriminately against mostly innocent people.

...

There is an alternative theory to that of the human rights wackos. Because of the problems with using lawfare to fight terrorism guilty people are being released or given short sentences that will endanger the public. The cases are also giving the enemy and edge by revealing intelligence agencies sources and methods of stopping terrorist attacks. The public would be safer if many of these people were sent to Gitmo for the duration of the war.