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France Steps Up Video Surveillance 11/30/05 |
This article stresses the benefits of
CCTV Video Surveillance Systems to thwart possible terrorist attacks.
PARIS, Nov. 29 (UPI) — The French parliament Tuesday approved a bill to vastly increase
security video surveillance around the nation.
The Chamber, the lower house of the French Parliament, overwhelmingly approved the measure but it still needs Senate approval to become law. The bill would boost
video surveillance in public places and allow police to hold terror suspects for up to six days, rather than the current four.
The move follows weeks of the worst rioting France has seen in at least 37 years, and which rocked the country, from mobs of young Arab and African Frenchmen who were the children or grandchildren of recent immigrants.
Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy told deputies that the bill was designed to give France "a more efficient arsenal" and to "give greater powers to law enforcement to avoid a catastrophe."
The BBC reported that the French Authorities were impressed with the use of video footage in identifying the London bombers. The new bill would allow potential targets — including public transport, places of worship and shops — to install
surveillance cameras for the first time.
Thanks to strict privacy laws, there are only 60,000
security cameras in public places in France, compared with more than four million in Britain, the BBC said.
The provisions will oblige Internet Providers and Internet Cafes to store and make available to police their customers' connection records. The new law should also enable the French police to monitor those who travel to countries known to harbor terrorist training camps.
The Senate will examine the measures in December before the new law is adopted before the beginning of 2006.
Source: upi.com
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