Anti-terrorism failures unacceptable - Ludford

10.29.47am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 7th Jul 2006

On the anniversary of the July 7th London bombs, London Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford is accusing European governments of gross hypocrisy in their failure to implement EU measures passed 4 years ago for preventing and punishing terrorists.

"There is a willingness to throw away hard-won rights like protection from arbitrary detention or snooping on our emails. Yet essential legislation to make sure terrorists could be caught and convicted through cross-border cooperation has still not been put fully into effect."

"This gross negligence makes a mockery of the suffering of victims, in Madrid in 2004 as well as in London last year, and betrays the consistent demands of Europe's citizens for the EU to be an effective force in combating crime and terrorism."

Sarah Ludford also deplored the problems victims and their families have faced in receiving proper compensation. Many are, disgracefully, still waiting.

"Tony Blair should hang his head in shame at the appalling extra stress and suffering caused to victims and bereaved families by the gross incompetence of his government's Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. Many have been left in an intolerable limbo over the past 12 months."