On Air: Can profiling stop terrorism?

If you are from one of 14 countries – including Nigeria, Afghanistan and Cuba, and flying into the US you will now face enhanced screening, including body pat-down searches and carry-on baggage checks.

 These countries have been selected because the American authorities deem to be a security risk. Many of you say this leads to profiling, which we discussed a little on WHYS last week  but has continued ever since. 

Ear for an ear does the punishment fit the crime?

A Pakistani judge has ordered two men to have their ears and noses cut off, as punishment for doing the same to a woman who refused to marry one of them. The government prosecutor Ehtisham Qadir said the punishment had been awarded in accordance with the Islamic principle of “an eye for an eye”.

Should the Lockerbie bomber be freed on compassionate grounds?

Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, the man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie plane bombing, is expected to be released on compassionate grounds.

Eight and half years ago he was jailed for life for the murders of 270 people but now he is terminally ill.

Should the army fight crime in Italy?

The Italian government wants to put 2,500 soldiers into the streets to help in the fight against crime.

Is this the right way to tackle crime?

One left-wing Italian politician’s reaction was:

“We are not in Colombia where these forces are used to fight terrorism and armed insurrection.”

Do you agree with him or rather with Milan’s right-wing mayor who called the measure an “important warning signal”?

Personal data held by the state

A landmark case is being heard in the European Court of Human Rights today. Two British men who were arrested for a crime but later released without charge are challenging the police’s legal right to keep samples of their DNA and their fingerprints on file.

It’s a huge debate here in Britain this week since DNA evidence was crucial in securing the conviction of two murderers.

Should we all be on a DNA database?

A British police chief has called for a nationwide DNA database, after two high profile murder cases were solved with the help of DNA evidence.

Is it time that each person’s DNA is stored on a government database, to assist future investigations?

Is the Western media obsessed with the victimisation of women?

Martin Bell used to work for the BBC as a correspondent. Then he became a British MP. Now, amongst others things, he writes books and articles and this week he’s launched an attack on the Western media and its enthusiasm for ‘salaciously reported crime and celebrity,’ especially when young women and girls are involved. He’ll be on the show to speak with you later. Here’s a couple of paragraphs outlining his argument…