This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6283090.stm

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
UK defends its border procedures UK defends its border procedures
(40 minutes later)
The UK government has defended itself against claims by Interpol's head that Britain is failing to check visitors against a database of stolen passports. The UK government has defended itself against claims by Interpol's head that it is failing to check visitors against a database of stolen passports.
Ronald K Noble, the police agency's chief, said there was a "clear link between stolen passports and al-Qaeda linked terrorist activity".Ronald K Noble, the police agency's chief, said there was a "clear link between stolen passports and al-Qaeda linked terrorist activity".
No country should risk allowing travellers to cross its borders without checking their passports, he said. Mr Noble told the BBC's Today it was "extraordinary" the UK was not making use of the information at its disposal.
But the Home Office insisted border officials were aware of the list. The Home Office has insisted border officials were aware of the list.
'Dangerous people''Dangerous people'
It said any name on the list which was also regarded as a threat by police forces or the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca) would be passed to border authorities.
The UK government really needs to catch up Ronald K NobleInterpol Mr Noble said in an open letter that only 17 out of Interpol's 186 member countries systematically checked the passport numbers of incoming travellers against the database.
"On the other hand, all countries systematically check our bags to see if we are carrying bottles of water or other liquids," he said.
"These priorities seem misplaced."
He also warned that a British "watch list" had not been passed to Interpol.
'Tighten this up'
Tory immigration spokesman Damien Green said the government was more concerned with headline-grabbing policy announcements than practical measures such as the Interpol database.
He added: "We are one of the countries that international terrorists want to hit.
"Why are we not at the forefront of this technology?"
Prime Minister Gordon Brown told Sky News on Sunday that the government was looking at the issue "as a matter of urgency".Prime Minister Gordon Brown told Sky News on Sunday that the government was looking at the issue "as a matter of urgency".
He added: "We do now need more information flowing internationally about who are potential terrorists and who are potential suspects.He added: "We do now need more information flowing internationally about who are potential terrorists and who are potential suspects.
The UK government really needs to catch up Ronald K NobleInterpol
"I think it is very important that we tighten this up.""I think it is very important that we tighten this up."
Mr Noble also warned that a British "watch list" had not been passed to Interpol.
But the Home Office insisted any name on the Interpol list which was also regarded as a threat by police forces or the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca) would be passed to border authorities.
Shadow home secretary David Davis said: "We welcome the prime minister's sentiments but they are undermined by the revelation that Britain is not checking potential immigrants against an existing global database of terror suspects.
"Yet again it is not the government's policy that is the problem - it is their lack of competence in delivering on that policy that is the problem which is threatening our security."