UK expected to rush new anti-terror measures into law after bombings News
UK expected to rush new anti-terror measures into law after bombings

[JURIST] Ministers are expected to rush into law new measures to arrest and detain terrorism suspects in the UK after Thursday's bombings in London [JURIST report], according to British press reports Friday. A draft counter-terrorism bill [House of Commons website] designed to create new offenses related to planning terrorist attacks and a controversial ID card bill [JURIST report] already before Parliament now seem likely to be approved. Lawyers and civil rights groups are urging caution, however, pointing to the "political and legal disaster" caused by laws targeting the IRA in the 70s and 80s and perhaps bearing in mind US experience with the Patriot Act, brought in in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. The Independent has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Dreyfus convicted of treason

On December 22, 1894, Jewish French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial trial that prompted worldwide allegations of anti-Semitism. Dreyfus was later cleared. Learn more about the case of Alfred Dreyfus and read an English translation of the famous public letter J'Accuse...! by novelist and Dreyfus partisan Emile Zola.

US passed Embargo Act, banning foreign trade

On December 22, 1807, the Embargo Act was passed at the urging of US President Thomas Jefferson. The act barred trade with any foreign nations in an effort to avoid American entry into the Napoleonic Wars of Europe. However, the act proved unenforceable and was replaced with the Non-Intercourse Act, which barred trade with France and Great Britain. Learn more about the Embargo Act of 1807 from Monticello.org