Six jours après 8/10 : un pas de plus dans la défiance du gouvernement

Six jours après 8/10 : un pas de plus dans la défiance du gouvernement

Le mot est catégorique : « 'People are definitely sceptical. » L’affaire de l’alerte terroriste 8/10, présentée dans les termes apocalyptiques qu’on sait pour le résultat étonnant de ne même pas faire remonter Bush dans les sondages, produit l’effet sans surprise d’accroître encore la défiance du gouverenement. Faisant une enquête rapide sur le sentiment populaire, le Guardian conclut aujourd’hui que le scepticisme est complet. 8/10 a encore accru le fossé entre les dirigeants et le public. Ah si : le Guardian a tout de même trouvé des citoyens qui prennent la chose au sérieux et félicitent le gouvernement pour la façon dont il appréhende la “menace”. Ce sont des touristes US en visite à Londres.

« It was not in horror or panic that thousands of ordinary people contacted the BBC or posted points on the Guardian's Comment is Free website in the hours after last week's terror plot. The mood of many seemed to be one of profound caution, even scepticism, over the allegations of a murderous scheme in which 50 people would try to bring down up to 20 planes between Britain and America.

» Almost a week later, and after a downgrading of the terrorist threat, what do ordinary voters now think of those excitable early briefings by John Reid, the home secretary, and Scotland Yard's dramatically voiced belief that it had foiled “mass murder on an unimaginable scale”? Are people still sceptical?

» As it turns out, the prime minister would be heartened by the views of the individuals on his doorstep. Unfortunately, the largely sympathetic crowds outside Downing Street are overwhelmingly made up of non-voter tourists. A Brazilian who has lived in London for five years mentions his innocent countryman, Jean Charles de Menezes, shot dead after botched intelligence following 7/7 last year, but says that, relatively speaking, he trusts the authorities more here than in his home city of Sao Paulo. Similarly, American visitors to the capital say they are impressed with the “very British, very discreet” security and the post-alert calm of the population. But they are bewildered by the sceptical reaction of some Britons to what they see as a war.

(…)

» Suspicion and (often internet-fuelled) talk of conspiracies is no longer the prerogative of the young, it seems. According to Khan, it has been noticeable that older Muslims, traditionally engaged in mainstream politics in a way that their children are not, have talked openly of their anger and distrust of the government in recent months.

» Scepticism about the plot is shared by many in the area and not just by Muslims, says Qurban Hussain, a local resident and the deputy leader of Luton borough council. “People are definitely sceptical. They are not sure whether these claims are just to clamp down on British Muslims. Is it scaremongering tactics by the government or another reason to harass more innocent people?

» “It's a perception held by a lot of my constituents of all backgrounds. When you look back on the WMD, the information was wrong. Then we have the case of Jean Charles de Menezes. We picked up the wrong person altogether. Then the raid in Forest Gate in which a man was shot. There are so many cases people can refer to. It makes them feel they cannot trust the government.” »

Mis en ligne le 16 août 2006 à 07H55