Ministers Seek Agreement on Terror Suspect Hold Period
New discussions on the subject of detaining terror suspects prior to them being charged are due to be held. UK Ministers are said to be "seeking consensus" in respect of lengthening the present 28 day limit.
According to the Home Office, a decision regarding extending the four-week hold period remains unmade, although it has "consulted widely on options."
It is thought that ministers are formulating a variety of safeguards to permit terror suspects to be held for a maximum of 58 days. However, as far as the Conservative Party's Dave Davis is concerned, not "an ounce of evidence" exists to support such a move.
Exceptional Circumstances Needed to Hold Terror Suspects Over 28 Days
Under the terms proposed by the government, the holding of terror suspects for more than 28 days prior to charge would be implemented solely when the situation demands, with advance Parliamentary cooperation required. Among the circumstances in which this could apply are those involving "multiple plots, or links with multiple countries, or exceptional levels of complexity", according to a Home Office statement.
Such extensions would also need the approval of the Home Secretary. Assurances have already been given that extra attention would be paid to these kinds of situation at parliamentary and judicial levels.
Ministers have affirmed that the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and others have already theoretically accepted that present emergency powers already permit the hold of a terror suspect for a period up to 58 days. Consequently, said Downing Street, there now needs to be a "technical discussion" in respect of when, and how, an extension could be put in place.
Thus far, ministers are unwilling to propose a revised maximum hold period until assured that that a majority vote in parliament can be secured. According to one correspondent who works for the BBC, the government is hoping to shift discussions away from the actual number of days appropriate, and, instead, concentrate on the specifics of what, it stresses, will be a measure implemented solely in exceptional situations.
Conservatives Prepared Only to Back Emergency Terror Suspect Hold Extension
Mr Davis, the Shadow Home Secretary, affirmed that the Conservatives would back the use of such a power, but only when the situation demanded. However, he added that the government seemed to be pushing for a "permanent undeclared state of emergency" - something his party could not be supportive of.
Nick Clegg, Home Affairs Spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, stated: "How does Gordon Brown seriously think he can forge a national consensus on such a vital issue without any new evidence and with utter disregard for the strong opinions of those who believe it would be a step too far?"
Speaking to The World at One - the BBC Radio 4 broadcast - Lord Carlile highlighted the inevitability of "...a few cases in which more than 28 days is going to be needed for proper investigations to be carried out"
Lord Carlile, who the government has charged with reviewing the present laws on terror, added that he anticipated "firm proposals" would be issued by the Home Office "by the end of tomorrow (November 16th).
Security International will continue to provide detailed coverage of the very latest information to emerge on this much-debated issue as we get the facts.
Source - Security International's Current Affairs Correspondent
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