h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When I was a lad, night raids on student campuses tended to involve noisy -fuelled parties being stopped at 2am, or enquiries about missing road cones. Now I read that four of my fellow University of Bradford students have been arrested at the Halls of Residence on suspicion of terrorist activities. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4777472.stm

This isn't mentioned in the above report, but the word in the Union bar is that the guys being questioned are chemistry students. If so, no doubt their practical work will be getting thoroughly examined...

Personally I wouldn't worry too much about it unless they're charged with something....

From this side of the channel it sounds like the current anti-terrorism laws are being used as a 'catch-all' reason to arrest/detain just about anyone...

Wasn't the pensioner who heckled TB during the labour party conference held for the same reasons?

West Yorkshire is definitely a happening place lately. It's possible, of course, that the four have done nothing and it's an overzealous police action. But that is nearly as disturbing as if they were plotting something.

Quite possibly, yes. They do have previous when it comes to wanting to arrest folk on terrorist charges.

Back last summer there was this story about a research chemist from Leeds University who had fled back to Egypt after the bombs went off in London. What actually happened was that there was this research chemist from Leeds University who went back to Egypt to visit his family. The fact that his travel dates coincided with some entirely separate individuals decision to commit mass murder on the London transport system was wholly coincidental.

Good points all.

I wholeheartedly agree that the presence of possibly overzealous officers of the law invading our campus is in itself a serious worry. The University has sent out an e-mail that says that it is co-operating with the police, but which also commendably promises its support to all of its students - especially the one of the arrested four who has already been released without charge.

Heck, they might regard me as a dangerous subversive. I delivered hundreds of anti-Tony Blair/George W. Bush leaflets during last year's General Election campaign, and helped defeat Blair's party's candidate in Leeds North-West. And you know what? I'm very proud of that.