8-12-05,10:50am

'Tony Blair's proposed measures against terrorism constitute the biggest attack on civil liberties and democratic rights since the 1914 Defence of the Realm Act', Communist Party of Britain general secretary Robert Griffiths has declared.

'If enacted they would represent a triumph for the security state and for the backward, reactionary agenda of fundamentalist terrorist groups', he told the party's Political Committee on Wednesday.

'The police and courts already have sufficient powers to deal with terrorists, but there should be much more investment in public transport safety measures', Mr Griffiths added.

The Communist Party reaffirmed its call for Blair and US president George Bush to face charges of 'state terrorism' at an international tribunal, and for the withdrawal of British and US occupation troops by the end of the year.



'The upsurge in racist attacks and in the fortunes of the British fascist movement are a direct result of imperialist policies, anti-Muslim hysteria and New Labour's seven-year campaign against refugees and asylum seekers' Mr Griffiths claimed.



'Handin control of schools and City Academies to religious fanatics will sow the seeds of obscurantism and division for future generations', he declared.

The political committee agreed to consider a campaign in defence of secular and public sector education in alliance with other progressive forces and trade unions.



The meeting welcomed the quashing of the convictions against Cuban anti-terrorist patriots in the US and demanded they be allowed to return home to their families.



The Political Committee launched the party's £10.000 national appeal with a full-colour brochure.

Plans were also finalised to hold the Communist University of Britain at Ruskin House, Croydon, on October 28-30 where among the guest speakers will be one of the leading figures in the international Communist Movement, Sitaram Yechuri of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).