Bill Carmichael: Lessons from land of the free

Even with the current bunch of wimps in the White House, they take more care over the safety and security of civilians in this country than our own government ever will.

Take, for example, the case of Abid Naseer, the leader of an al-Qaida cell planning a terror attack in northern England – most likely an Easter bombing campaign on the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester.

After his arrest earlier this year, the Special Immigration and Appeals Commission ruled that he posed a serious security risk and was, indeed, planning a "mass casualty attack".

But Mr Justice Mitting then ruled that he could not be deported to his native Pakistan because he could face torture.

This is palpable nonsense. No one doubts that Pakistan is an unpleasant and decidedly primitive country, thanks largely to the influence of Islamist fanatics like Naseer, but millions of Britons visit every year without coming to much harm.

Furthermore, eight other men arrested alongside Naseer have already returned to Pakistan and not one of them has disappeared, been jailed or tortured.

But the ruling left the UK entirely unable to defend ourselves against Naseer's campaign of terror. We couldn't deport, jail or even arrest him because of the pernicious impact of the hated Human Rights Act.

So Naseer was simply allowed to go free to continue where he left off – while living on benefits.

Luckily, the US takes a more robust attitude to people plotting to blow up civilians and, today, Naseer is once again behind bars – but no thanks to our own government.

It turns out Naseer has been linked to a failed plot to blow up the New York subway and he was detained in the North-East after the US issued a warrant for his arrest.

Once in the US, Naseer will be treated humanely and will have the right to defend himself – which is more than can be said for the victims of Islamist terror.

The Americans have a lot to teach us when it comes to dealing with terrorists.

For instance, the so-called "Shoebomber", London-born Richard Reid, is serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for trying to blow up a passenger jet.

And Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who was radicalised by Islamic militants while studying in London, also faces a whole life sentence for

attempting to destroy an aeroplane.

Is there any doubt whatsoever that if either man had been lucky enough to be arrested on this side of the Atlantic they would today be walking free?

Learning curve

Michael Gove, personable and engaging he may be, is quickly discovering that being in government brings its own problems – particularly if your civil servants are as incompetent as those in the education department.

Gove was forced to apologise to MPs this week for at least 25 errors in a list of school building projects that have been axed because of the financial crisis.

As a result, some schools, including one in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, were mistakenly informed they could go ahead with new projects, when, in fact, they were to be scrapped.

Mr Gove also said he would visit some of the schools affected to

explain the decision.

I'm not sure that will satisfy pupils, parents and teachers who were planning improvements in school provision only to have their hopes dashed.

But if parents want to know who is really to blame for the cuts in education, they should look to the Labour MPs currently loudly complaining.

It was their gross financial irresponsibility that led to the current crisis.