"More than 140 governments around the world have passed counterterrorism laws since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Together these laws represent a dangerous expansion of state powers to investigate, detain, and prosecute individuals, often with little regard for due process and fair trial rights. Many of these laws not only violate the rights of terrorist suspects, they also have been used to crack down on peaceful political dissent, independent media, and religious, ethnic, or social groups. In the Name of Security analyzes eight elements of post-9/11 counterterrorism laws that raise grave human rights concerns, including vague definitions of terrorism, prolonged pre-charge detention, and sweeping powers of warrantless search and arrest. Its case studies demonstrate the ways the laws are abused in practice. Nations have a fundamental duty to protect their populations from mass attacks. But whatever the threat, they remain obligated to protect human rights. In the Name of Security calls on governments to revise abusive counterterrorism laws and provide redress to those whose rights they violated. United Nations bodies including the Security Council, which after 9/11 ordered states to enact counterterrorism laws without emphasizing rights protection, should now promote legal reform."--P. [4] of cover.