Terror Suspects’ Appeals Rejected

A special commission, backing controversial British anti-terrorism laws Wednesday, rejected the appeals of 10 suspects who argued that there was not enough evidence to detain them without trial.

Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government welcomed the decision, but defense attorney Gareth Peirce said the decision “marks the entry of this country into a new dark age of injustice.... Security has been chosen over due process.”

The British law applies only to foreign terror suspects whose lives would be endangered if they were deported. The government has to prove only that it has “reasonable grounds to suspect” the detainees have links with terrorism -- a far lower requirement than would be needed to convict them in a criminal court.

Two suspects have taken advantage of a provision allowing them to return to their home countries or go to a third one.