A Sense Of Fair Play

‘BRITAIN is noted the world over for its sense of fair play – and with reason.

‘We’re up here!’

Okay, so we harass a poor Swiss referee to such an extent that he won’t return home for fear of attack just because he gave a decision in a football match that we didn’t like.

But on the big issues, this sense of fair play shines through.

For instance, how are al-Qaeda supposed to compete on a level playing field with our intelligence services when there is such a disparity of resources?

It doesn’t seem fair, does it? And that is why we applaud the news in the Independent that the police have taken to leaving secret dossiers on the roadside for terrorists to read at their will.

In the most recent case, a passing motorist last night spoiled the fun by picking up the plans which had been left on the verge of the Southern Perimeter Road at Heathrow.

The dossier, compiled by Scotland Yard’s SO18 anti-terrorist Aviation Security Team, apparently showed 62 sites at the airport where al-Qaeda were most likely to launch an attack.

More useful to the terrorists, however, would have been the details of patrol times, deployment of rooftop snipers, use of dog units, as well as escape routes, evacuation plans and road closures.

Terrorists may destroy us and all that belongs to us, but it’s good to know that they’ll never destroy the things that made this country great.’

Posted: 19th, July 2004 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink