Civil Liberty and the Use of Surveillance Materials in Counter-Terrorism Law Enforcement — A Constitutional Reappraisal

The balances between liberty and the response to terrorism were struck in the first flush of emergency. This is especially the case when governments employ surveillance materials in counter-terrorism law enforcement. On one hand, it is imperative for the domestic law enforcement officers to maintain order with the widespread use of surveillance materials. One the other hand, the long-established civil liberty shall not be sacrificed at any cost in time of emergence and it is further contended that even in time of none-international armed conflicts, civil liberty is still under constitutional protection as long as the constitution remain the same. This article aims to address the issue on deprivation of liberty in counter-terrorism law enforcement from a constitutional perspective.