Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

1-2007

Abstract

[A] mid the clash of arms, the laws are not silent" - and it is up to judges to give voiceto the law. Acts of terrorism have not ceased since 11 September 2001 and news offresh attacks or foiled attempts continues to surface regularly. It is not surprising thatin order to preserve the nation state, governments have used legislative tools to deterand punish terrorism, including the tool of indefinite preventive detention. In thisarticle, I analyse the pieces of legislation providing for indefinite preventive detentionin Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the judicial responseto them. Adopting Justice Aharon Barak's approach, I submit that the ideal role for thejudiciary in responding to counter-terrorism is two-fold: (1) to bridge the gap betweenlaw and society and (2) to protect the constitution and democracy.

Discipline

Law and Society

Publication

Singapore Law Review

Volume

25

First Page

3

Last Page

23

ISSN

0080-9691

Publisher

National University of Singapore Faculty of Law

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