Terrorism suspects still at large

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Two terror suspects who breached control orders and went missing earlier this year are still on the run, Home Secretary John Reid has revealed.

One of the men went on the run about four months ago. The other disappeared more than two months ago.

A separate report from the government's terror watchdog said a third suspect could face prosecution for "numerous" alleged control order breaches.

The orders can involve restrictions up to and including virtual house arrest.

Alleged links

One of the missing men - a British national known as AD - escaped from a mental health unit at the end of September.

The 25-year-old has reportedly been questioned about alleged links with the 7 July bombers and was held in Pakistan late last year for more than six months.

AD is also alleged to have been a friend of British suicide bomber Asif Hanif, who blew himself up in Israel in 2003.

The other man - an Iraqi known as LL - vanished from his address in the north of England in August after being charged with seven offences of breaching his control order.

His control order was then quashed by the Court of Appeal in separate legal proceedings.

Police and prosecutors will not be able to take action against him because officers had not handed him a modified version of a control order before he disappeared.

'Little direct risk'

Mr Reid said: "Finding these individuals is an operational matter for the police and investigations are ongoing."

A report on the aftermath of the abscondments has been published by the government's independent reviewer of terrorism law, Lord Carlile of Berriew.

It said: "I am satisfied that the two disappearances... present little direct risk to public safety in the UK at the present time.

"In each case it is unlikely on the facts that active terrorists would wish their presence or involvement at the present time in any activity or planning, despite the knowledge and connections which had led to the control orders made against them."

In another case, a control order suspect had been arrested for "numerous alleged infractions" of his order including failures to report to police, Lord Carlile said.

Breaches

"The CPS will advise shortly whether he should be prosecuted," he added.

Lord Carlile recommended a number of changes to the way the home secretary publishes information about people on control orders, after criticism from opposition parties that details had been withheld about the first missing man.

Mr Reid said there were currently 16 control orders in force. Seven are against British citizens.

Two suspects had been charged with breaching their control orders during the last three months, he added.

Control orders were brought in to cover terrorism suspects in cases where there was not enough evidence to bring them to trial.