Reid to revisit terror detentions

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Home Secretary John Reid is to make another attempt to extend the 28-day limit on holding terrorism suspects without charge.

He told fellow ministers he wanted to try to find cross-party consensus on the controversial issue, at the request of police chiefs.

Government attempts to extend the limit to 90 days failed in 2005, opposed by Tories, Lib Dems and some Labour MPs.

But Shami Chakrabarti, of Liberty, said it would be a "dangerous step".

Mr Reid told his Cabinet colleagues on Thursday that police chiefs thought it "right and proper" for the government to address the issue again.

'Useful tool'

He said police had not yet come across a case where the current limit was insufficient, but for last year's alleged plot to blow up aeroplanes the full 28 days had been necessary.

Mr Reid thought extending the limit would be a "useful tool" in the fight against terrorism, but said he was mindful of the need to consider a cross-party consensus.

"The home secretary raised this issue with colleagues this morning and the Cabinet has agreed to try to establish a national consensus on this," said the prime minister's official spokesman.

We would urge the government to think again and very seriously before taking such a dangerous step Shami ChakrabartiLiberty director

"The home secretary outlined that ... it was quite possible to envisage circumstances where the police may need more than 28 days, because the scale of the terrorist threat is becoming larger and more complex."

The limit was extended from 14 days to 28 days in November 2005 as a compromise, after the government's bid for a 90-day limit was rejected in a vote which saw 49 Labour MPs rebel.

Police say gathering evidence from computer hard-drives, mobile phone records and various fake identities means they need more time.

Lack of resources

But critics say a person has the right to freedom until charged with a crime.

Shadow home secretary David Davis said the Tories would consider any new evidence, but it was not sufficient simply to re-address the issue because of a new terrorism scare.

Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said there had to be "overwhelming and concrete" evidence that an extension was necessary.

"A lack of police resources should not be used as an excuse to further breach the all-important principle that charges must be brought as quickly as possible," he said.

And Shami Chakrabarti, head of civil rights group Liberty, said an extension would be counter-productive.

"We would urge the government to think again and very seriously before taking such a dangerous step," she said.

"It will add to the sense of injustice and resentment, providing terrorist recruiters with the ammunition they seek."