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| Missing suspect a threat - Tories | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Conservatives say it is "a nonsense" to describe the latest absconded terror suspect as being no threat to the public. | The Conservatives say it is "a nonsense" to describe the latest absconded terror suspect as being no threat to the public. |
| The man, a British national, was the third to disappear while under a control order, which imposes a type of house arrest on terror suspects. | The man, a British national, was the third to disappear while under a control order, which imposes a type of house arrest on terror suspects. |
| The individual absconded earlier this month, Home Secretary John Reid said. | |
| Tory homeland security spokesman Patrick Mercer said those who abscond have to be regarded as "dangerous". | |
| 'Radicalised' | |
| The orders were brought in for cases where there was not enough evidence to bring suspects to trial. | The orders were brought in for cases where there was not enough evidence to bring suspects to trial. |
| Mr Mercer said: "The Home Office coming up and saying, you know, it's not so bad, this guy, whoever he is, he's not much of a threat. | Mr Mercer said: "The Home Office coming up and saying, you know, it's not so bad, this guy, whoever he is, he's not much of a threat. |
| "But surely we were told he was radicalised and had prospects of going overseas to carry out jihad. | "But surely we were told he was radicalised and had prospects of going overseas to carry out jihad. |
| There must now be a wholesale review of their effectiveness as part of the long-promised overhaul of anti-terror laws Nick CleggLib Dems What are control orders? | There must now be a wholesale review of their effectiveness as part of the long-promised overhaul of anti-terror laws Nick CleggLib Dems What are control orders? |
| "You can't have a bloke on a control order and when he absconds say well, he wasn't that dangerous really." | "You can't have a bloke on a control order and when he absconds say well, he wasn't that dangerous really." |
| Mr Reid said there were 18 control orders currently in force. | Mr Reid said there were 18 control orders currently in force. |
| Two men - a British citizen and an Iraqi - who absconded at the end of last year are still at large, the statement confirmed. | Two men - a British citizen and an Iraqi - who absconded at the end of last year are still at large, the statement confirmed. |
| In the latest case, the suspect absconded shortly after being served with a control order. | In the latest case, the suspect absconded shortly after being served with a control order. |
| Mr Reid said: "The control order was designed to address the risk posed by an individual who had recently been radicalised and wanted to travel abroad for terrorism-related purposes. | |
| "Obligations included a requirement to report daily to a police station, to surrender travel documents and to reside at a specified address. | "Obligations included a requirement to report daily to a police station, to surrender travel documents and to reside at a specified address. |
| "The individual is not believed to represent a direct threat to the public in the UK at this time." | "The individual is not believed to represent a direct threat to the public in the UK at this time." |
| Mr Reid said public safety was the "top priority" for the police and government. | Mr Reid said public safety was the "top priority" for the police and government. |
| Review due | Review due |
| He said police were trying to track down the suspect and "an anonymity order is in place". | He said police were trying to track down the suspect and "an anonymity order is in place". |
| After consulting the police, the government is not seeking to overturn the order, added Mr Reid. | |
| A Home Office spokesman said: "Control orders are essential where it is not possible to prosecute individuals for terrorism-related activity and, in the case of foreign nationals, where they cannot be removed from the UK. | A Home Office spokesman said: "Control orders are essential where it is not possible to prosecute individuals for terrorism-related activity and, in the case of foreign nationals, where they cannot be removed from the UK. |
| "However, we have always made clear that control orders were introduced as a next best alternative for dealing with suspected terrorists. | "However, we have always made clear that control orders were introduced as a next best alternative for dealing with suspected terrorists. |
| "We have sought stronger controls to deal with suspected terrorists who cannot be prosecuted, but have been prevented by Parliament and the courts." | "We have sought stronger controls to deal with suspected terrorists who cannot be prosecuted, but have been prevented by Parliament and the courts." |
| Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said a "wholesale review" was needed. | |
| "Control orders were the centrepiece of the government's anti-terrorist strategy," he said. | "Control orders were the centrepiece of the government's anti-terrorist strategy," he said. |
| "There must now be a wholesale review of their effectiveness as part of the long-promised overhaul of anti-terror laws." | "There must now be a wholesale review of their effectiveness as part of the long-promised overhaul of anti-terror laws." |