Thousands 'illegally' searched under UK terror laws
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
London, June 10, IRNA -- Anti-terror law has been used illegally to stop and search tens of thousands of people in Britain, Home Office figures revealed Thursday.
Powers under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act, which requires no without grounds for suspicion, were used in "error" after the proper authorisations were not given from 2004, Police Minister Nick Herbert admitted.
The mistake was discovered after a freedom of information request triggered a review of the Metropolitan police's section 44 records, Herbert said in a parliamentary statement to coincide with the Home Office figures.
"Subsequent investigations revealed that approximately 840 were stopped and searched in the relevant area during the period of the invalid authorisation," he said referring to London alone just for April 2004.
Searches across Britain revealed that 14 police forces had unlawfully used their counter-terror stop and search powers in 40 different operations.
Official figures show the powers were used to stop 148,798 people last year, and have been used repeatedly against peace protesters and photographers.
In a landmark judgement in January, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the blanket use of section 44 across the whole of London was unlawful and criticised the lack of legal safeguards against abuse.
"I am aware there is considerable concern about the operation of section 44 stop and search powers going beyond these authorisation errors,” Herbert said.
He said the government is “committed to a wider review of counter-terror legislation, including the operation of section 44 stop and search provisions.”
“I have instructed Home Office officials unconnected with the administrative process to conduct the internal review of procedures," he added.
2220**345**1412
End News / IRNA / News Code 1170457
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
