THE Law Society is investigating the behaviour of lawyers who represent terrorist suspects, after a committee of MPs recently castigated them for what they called their “disgraceful conduct”.Posted on 18 July 2006 @ 19:32 GMTMPs highlighted “reprehensible” conduct by one firm, Arani & Co, which has defended the advice of the Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri to people not to co-operate with the police.
They also backed concerns expressed by the police that investigations are being hampered and “justice is not being done” because of the practice of at least one firm of solicitors acting for multiple defendants.
The MPs, whose comments were expressed in the strongest terms, were particularly angered by the issuing of leaflets by Arani & Co urging members of the public not to co-operate with the police. They say: “It is disgraceful that any lawyer should encourage the public not to co-operate with the police as a matter of course.”
It was for the Law Society to decide if the firm had breached professional standards, they said. “But, given the terrorist threat, we find that conduct particularly reprehensible.” The Law Society Regulation Board has confirmed that it will look into the comments of the MPs and “assess whether an investigation is justified”.