DRACONIAN stop-and-question powers will not be extended to police forces north of the Border, the Scottish Executive has insisted, signalling a clear split in counter-terrorism strategy with England and Wales. The SNP administration will resist attempts by Westminster to force Scotland to change its policing practices through a new anti-terrorism bill later this year, despite the fact that the UK government claims it is needed to tackle terrorism. But last night, Kenny MacAskill, Scotland's justice secretary, made clear the Executive's concerns. "We do have a distinct policing culture and therefore we are trying to assist these matters in a different way."
Policing needs to be devolved to Wales because our distinct policing culture too requires a different approach to the political sound bite, target driven British one.
The distinct policing culture in Ireland requires them to assist these matters in a different way, indeed the Special Detective Unit has intensified its monitoring of persons resident or currently in their jurisdiction suspected of involvement with international terrorist groups.
Exactly what Ireland needs.