Terrorism Bill

I think I know the views of my two hon. Friends. May we just work on the assumption that I do not agree with them on this point? I do not accept for a moment that there is any question of a police state. I do not believe that my case for 28 days is so weak that I have to exaggerate. Nor do I believe that detention of this kind is like internment in Northern Ireland. Let me say this, however. For the entire 30 years, I was involved in the denouncing of IRA murderers and the atrocities that they committed. Who would deny—and I include Conservative Members—that internment served the interests of the IRA? Would anyone now deny the obvious? I know that we are not discussing internment, but is there not a danger that the Muslim community, the overwhelming majority of whom are as opposed to terrorism as we are, will nevertheless feel that they are being penalised and discriminated against? I again emphasise that their opposition to terrorism is no less than ours. Of course, among the victims of 7 July were Muslims, Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Hindus—the terrorists make no distinction. Indeed, if we said to the mass murderers, ““There are Muslims who will be your victims,”” their response would be, ““If they’re good Muslims, they will simply go to paradise earlier.”” So we know the sort of people whom we are dealing with.