British press splits down the middle

Slain British teenager Anthony Walker's mother, Gee Walker (3d L), leads 2,000 people Friday in a walk in Huyton, Liverpool in United Kingdom in memory of the boy who was killed in racist attack in London following the July 7 bombings. PHOTO: AFP

"Tony Blair at last acts to kick out those who incite terrorism in our country," said the top-selling tabloid Sun, referring to plans to deport foreigners who foment terrorism.

"This is a hugely significant moment in the campaign against terror. The penny finally appears to have dropped," agreed the Daily Mail, taking a break for once from its strident anti-Blair editorial line.

The Times welcomed what it called "actions ... to defend Britain's freedom," saying: "Most Britons have for years believed that the best way to deal with foreign trouble-makers is simply to deport them."

But The Guardian criticised them as "ill-considered measures", and predicted that proposed legislation to outlaw "justifying or glorifying terrorism" would be "shot down" in the courts in short order.

It said its biggest objection was not that Blair's proposals run roughshod on human rights, "although they certainly do," but that "these measures would have done nothing to stop" the July 7 bombings in which 56 people died.

The Independent accused Blair of engaging in "knee-jerk politics" and failing to address "the root causes of Islamist terrorism".

"Nothing (set out by Blair) was tailored to the task of reclaiming the minds and allegiances of that tiny number of young Muslims whose views have become so distorted that they are tempted to regard killing innocent people," it said.

The Daily Telegraph broadly welcomed Blair's proposals, but added: "This appetite for new laws is matched by an unwillingness to invoke existing laws on incitement, conspiracy and, above all, nationality."