And while before 9/11, the terrorism task forces were confined to mostly major urban areas, they now exist in cities like Richmond, Va., and Albany, where earlier this month its terrorism task force orchestrated a missile sting that led to the arrest of two men there.
The French seemed happy to forgo some civil liberties in the name of security, even before the latest terrorism threat.
He said that before the attacks, "terrorism was dealt with as a law enforcement program".
Men like Keane believe the Brits needlessly retreated before the street terrorism and bully-boy tactics of Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi militia in Basra in 2007.
When he was finally released after no evidence was put before a court to support the terrorism allegations, he claimed compensation from the Home Office ex gratia scheme but was refused, a decision upheld in the high court a year ago.
The other suspect, Chiheb Esseghaier, tried to deny the terrorism charges he faces before being cut off by a judge.
"Hawija will become a center for resistance, not terrorism as it was before," the politician said.
