Diane Abbott 'opposed the proscribing of Al-Qaeda and 20 other terrorist groups shortly before the September 11 terror attacks'
- Diane Abbott opposed the proscribing of al-Qaeda and other terror groups
- It came shortly before the September 11, 2001 attacks on the Twin Towers
- The close of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said many groups had been 'described as terrorists but had survived to take tea with the Queen'
Diane Abbot opposed the proscribing of Al-Qaeda and 20 other terrorist groups shortly before the September 11 terror attacks, it has emerged.
The new shadow home secretary said in March 2001 that many terror groups had been 'described as terrorists but survived to take tea with the Queen'.
She later voted against legislation to make it an offence to glorify the commission or preparation of acts of terrorism.
Diane Abbott, the new shadow home secretary, (pictured above) said in March 2001 that many terror groups had been 'described as terrorists but survived to take tea with the Queen'
Speaking this weekend, she told The Times: 'I have consistently voted against laws that provide too broad a definition of terrorism or that fail to provide due process.
'I believe that we best protect our security with a strong sense of our liberties. In 2005, 'glorification' was a particularly vague and dangerous speech offence threatening journalistic freedom and other peaceful dissent against oppressive regimes around the world.'
But Tory MP James Cleverly told the newspaper: 'Corbyn has clearly abandoned any attempts at credibility on home affairs.'
Mr Corbyn promoted his former lover to shadow home secretary last week - just days after she sparked outrage by suggesting many Brexit voters were motivated by racism.
Jeremy Corbyn (above) promoted his former lover to shadow home secretary last week
Miss Abbott, who last year said it was 'shameful' to propose any controls on immigration, now takes charge of Labour's policy on the vital issue. She has been one of Mr Corbyn's closest allies for decades.
The pair had a relationship in the 1970s and even enjoyed a romantic motorbike tour of East Germany, which was then ruled by a notorious communist regime.
She has regularly courted controversy since becoming Britain's first black female MP in 1987.
At Labour's conference in Liverpool last week she sparked anger by suggesting that many of the 17million people who voted to leave the EU were motivated by racism.
Speaking at a fringe meeting, she said: 'The people that complain about the freedom of movement will not be satisfied because what they really want is to see less foreign looking people on their streets.'
She added: 'The Brexit vote, whatever you think of that vote, has added another turn of the screw to rising racism.'
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