They Hate Our Freedom Still

Some eminently sane proceedings at the Old Bailey have ended in a verdict of acquittal for a man charged with plotting to commit acts of terrorism. The trial was originally intended to be held entirely in secret, but after a legal challenge by the media the appeal court put in place a compromise arrangement whereby some of the trial was secret and some of it could be attended by up to ten journalists who were ordered to report only the good bits. The reasons for the secrecy are also a matter of secrecy, although it is believed that security agencies may have uttered the magic words terrorism, national security and brown person, which generally suffices. Meanwhile, the mad old cat lady at the Home Office will doubtless be deeply concerned that a partially secret trial has resulted only in a partially guilty verdict (the accused was found guilty of possessing a bomb-making manual). Certainly the results would have been far more satisfactory if only things had been done in a more confidential, cosy and British fashion.