§ 3 p.m.
§ Lord Monson asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ What conclusions they draw from the length of sentences passed on three Irish IRA supporters convicted in Belgium on 29th April of conspiracy and possession of weapons in connection with planned attacks on British army personnel on the Continent.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (The Earl of Caithness)My Lords, the sentences passed must be a matter for the Belgian court.
§ Lord MonsonMy Lords, I thank the Minister for that understandably diplomatic reply. The Belgian courts, like our own, are fully independent of political control; arid rightly so. Nevertheless, he will doubtless be aware that the court in this case imposed lenient sentences upon the convicted men on the curious grounds that their motives were idealistic rather than mercenary. Does he agree that Lenin, Hitler and Pol Pot were all idealists in their way, as have been the 998 perpetrators of every religious massacre throughout history? While fully continuing to support the principle of judicial independence, will Her Majesty's Government do everything in their power to convince educated opinion on the Continent of Europe that idealism can never be even a partial excuse for acts of terrorism?
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, I totally agree with the noble Lord that the courts must remain independent and so must their sentences.
§ Lord Cledwyn of PenrhosMy Lords, is the Minister able to inform the House of the extent to which Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist squad was involved in this case? Are the Government satisfied with the co-operation that we receive from our West European allies in matters of this kind?
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, co-operation between the United Kingdom security authorities and their counterparts, including Belgium, is already good. No doubt it could be further improved and we continue to search together for ways to do that.