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Reid moots new anti-terror laws
07/06/2007 22:18 - (SA)
London - Britain's Home Secretary, John Reid, has proposed new laws to combat the threat of terrorist attacks, including some he conceded might stir controversy.
The plans unveiled in parliament include allowing terror suspects to be held without charge for longer periods; tougher sentences for convicted terrorists and a review of the ban on using intercept evidence such as from phone-tapping.
Announcing the proposals for a new counter-terrorism bill later this year, Reid said: "I believe that terrorism remains the greatest threat to the life and liberty of this nation.
"It is the greatest challenge we face and it is important that our legislation continues to evolve to meet that threat, just as the terrorists will continue to evolve and advance their means constituting that threat."
The most contentious proposal involves extending the 28-day limit which detectives have to question terror suspects without charging them.
Outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair wanted to give police 90 days to grill suspects back in 2005, citing the length of time it took detectives to gather evidence from computers and the internet, from abroad and in other languages.
However, he was forced to limit the period to 28 days - up from the original 14 days - after members of parliament rejected the plan, inflicting his first defeat as prime minister in the House of Commons.
The main opposition Conservative Party said it could support a number of the new proposals but was unconvinced by the detention limit plans.
Civil libertarians have criticised the government's anti-terror measures, including those introduced in the wake of the July 7 2005 suicide attacks in London which killed 52 people as well as the four bombers.
Reid will step down at the same time as Blair on June 27, when finance minister Gordon Brown takes over as prime minister.
- SAPA
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