Post date: Jan 26, 2011 3:9:17 PM
Britain says it will ease house arrest restrictions on terrorism suspects in a compromise sought by the ruling coalition's junior party.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENT TV - Britain said on Wednesday (January 26) it would ease house arrest restrictions on terrorism suspects in a compromise sought by the ruling coalition's junior party, the Liberal Democrats.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg had sought the move as a policy win for his Lib Dems after promising in last May's national election to scrap the so-called control orders, among the most contentious of the counter-terrorism measures introduced by the previous Labour government.His popularity is at a low after he and his party abandoned a campaign pledge to abolish university tuition fees and instead voted to nearly triple student charges.
Eight British citizens are subject to control orders which require them to observe curfews for up to 16 hours a day and subject them to electronic tagging, visitor restrictions and other constraints.
Home Secretary (interior minister) Theresa May said the government planned alternative supervision measures for the suspects as part of a wider review, rolling back a number of restrictive powers introduced by Labour. She said control orders would be replaced by a lighter regime, to be called "Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures".
Those subject to the new measures would still be required to stay at their home for a period of time each day, but only overnight, and -- unlike now -- would be able to use a mobile phone and have limited access to the Internet. She said the length of the overnight stay would be determined by a judge, but would normally be between eight and 10 hours. Police and security services would step up surveillance of the suspects in response to the scrapping of day-time curfews.
Like control orders, introduced in 2005, the new powers will be used against terrorism suspects who it is not possible to prosecute or deport, either because the evidence against them is inadmissible or sensitive, or for fear of torture abroad.
Critics had condemned control orders for violating basic civil liberties and branded them as ineffective.
May said the government would also limit the ability of local authorities to spy on residents suspected of committing low-level offences, a power which had caused public anger.
"The measures I have outlined today will help them (the security forces) to ensure our safety and security at the same time as we restore our civil liberties. They are in keeping with British values and our commitment to freedom, fairness and the rule of law. They will restore public confidence in counter terrorism legislation and it is my hope they will form the basis of an enduring political consensus," May said.
The Conservative-led government has already scrapped plans for identity cards, curtailed police stop-and-search powers and halved the time terrorism suspects can be held without charge to 14 days.
However, reaching an agreement on how to replace the control orders took weeks longer than expected, with May, a Conservative, under pressure from police and security services to keep many of the restrictions.
Britain has been the target of a number of militant plots in the past decade, mostly foiled or unsuccessful. Suicide bombers killed 52 commuters in July 2005 on London's transport network.