Criminal Justice (Joint Investigation Teams) Bill 2003: Second Stage
Dr. Henry: I welcome the Minister of State and the Bill, to which Senator Terry has given careful consideration. I look forward to hearing the answers to her questions.
I welcome the Bill as an effort to highlight the fact that criminals should be dealt with through the rule of law, not the rule of force. We have come to a bad stage in world history. In recent months we have seen an attempt to use the rule of military force rather than the rule of law to deal with terrorism, the disastrous and foreseeable consequences of which we can now see.
The invasion of Afghanistan led to nothing other than an increase in the production of drugs in that region. Apart from trafficking in human beings, drugs are apparently the most lucrative business nowadays. To see it promoted is truly dreadful. Unfortunately, all countries, including Ireland, will have to take account of trafficking in human beings, as people are being brought through this country to get to more lucrative markets in other parts of Europe. Anything that will encourage co-operation between police forces to prevent this appalling practice must be applauded.
Will the Bill provide for the establishment of teams drawn from various international police forces to investigate the abduction of children? While this is a private matter, it is surely in the public interest not to allow such episodes to take place. Will the Minister of State indicate his views on the issue?
The war on terrorism was followed by the illegal invasion of Iraq by the United States of America and the United Kingdom, which I bitterly regret. The words of President Mubarak of Egypt have been brought to fruition in the suicide bombings in Riyadh and Chechnya in recent days, which are a continuation of what has been happening in Israel. As the House will recall, President Mubarak said the invasion of Iraq would create 100 bin Ladens. The attacks were to be expected. I very much regret that one Irish national is apparently among those killed in the dreadful outrage in Saudi Arabia.
It is essential that the rule of law is supported internationally. It worries me when I hear President Bush state those who collaborated with the suicide bombings - the bombers are all dead - will be subjected to American justice. Unfortunately, American justice to date has involved sending people to Guantanamo Bay or issuing instructions to catch people dead or alive, as was the case with the soldiers who received the pack of 55 cards distributed in Iraq. Even the President used those words. Fortunately, the people featured on the cards have apparently decided to give themselves up, a much more sensible option than being hunted down.
We must aim to introduce measures to bring police forces together in order that people can be brought before courts. In Europe we have been doing well in rounding up suspects from the various terrorist organisations. The only person convicted in association with the atrocity on 11 September 2001 appeared before a German court, while others have been brought before courts in Spain, the Netherlands and Great Britain. This is the only way to proceed or to try to gain control of world order. Shooting down people who have nothing to do with the various atrocities only breeds more terrorists.
We have a great deal of experience in this area. Despite going backwards and forwards on occasion and the current problems we face, the Governments of both the United Kingdom and the Republic have shown extraordinary courage in much of what they have done. The news that emerged recently, which has been most unedifying in terms of the methods used in some cases, has not been clarified.
I commend the Bill because any measure that reinforces the superiority of the rule of law over the rule of force is to be commended. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply to Senator Terry's questions.
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