EU rejects assassination as tool to fight terrorism

Berlin, July 12: The European Union does not support the ideaof using assassinations in the fight against terrorism, EU JusticeCommissioner Franco Frattini was quoted as saying today.

Frattini was responding to comments made by German InteriorMinister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who said in an interview that Germanyshould clarify under what conditions the constitution permits the stateto target and kill terrorists.

''The fact that we fight terrorism cannot mean that we killpeople,'' Frattini said in an interview with Financial TimesDeutschland daily.

''I'm against all forms of the death penalty,'' he added.

In an interview published in this week's issue of German weeklyDer Spiegel, Schaeuble said: ''Imagine someone knew what cave Osama binLaden is sitting in. A remote-controlled missile could then be fired inorder to kill him.'' Schaeuble also pressed for changes in laws toallow pre-emptive detention of suspected militants and said authoritiesshould have the right to prevent people they deem dangerous from usingthe Internet and mobile phones.

Frattini said the idea of keeping terrorists away from the world wide web was a good one but may be unrealistic.

''To be honest, I would like to prevent suspected terrorists fromusing the Internet -- it's my dream,'' he said. ''It's really fantasticidea but I don't know if it's possible.'' However, Frattini supportedSchaeuble's idea of creating a legal framework to allow online searchesof personal computers of suspected terrorists.

Schaeuble's attempts to boost German police powers have met withstrong resistance in a country where memories of the Nazis and dreadedEast German Stasi secret police are still fresh.

Reuters>