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| Tories urge terror suspect update | Tories urge terror suspect update |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The home secretary is under pressure to make a statement about the UK's use of control orders after it emerged two terror suspects had gone on the run. | The home secretary is under pressure to make a statement about the UK's use of control orders after it emerged two terror suspects had gone on the run. |
| Shadow home secretary David Davis says John Reid should explain to MPs how the pair could have escaped, in what he described as "a piece of incompetence". | Shadow home secretary David Davis says John Reid should explain to MPs how the pair could have escaped, in what he described as "a piece of incompetence". |
| The suspects include a British man who fled through a window of a mental health unit two weeks ago. | The suspects include a British man who fled through a window of a mental health unit two weeks ago. |
| Minister Tony McNulty says a stronger version of the orders may be necessary. | Minister Tony McNulty says a stronger version of the orders may be necessary. |
| 'A farce' | 'A farce' |
| A major police investigation is ongoing after the men's disappearance, and it is understood ports and airports have been notified. | A major police investigation is ongoing after the men's disappearance, and it is understood ports and airports have been notified. |
| The British suspect, who is of Pakistani descent, is accused by the authorities of wanting to go to Iraq to fight. He had been subject to a control order since March. | The British suspect, who is of Pakistani descent, is accused by the authorities of wanting to go to Iraq to fight. He had been subject to a control order since March. |
| What they should do now is be a little bit more candid about what happened in these two cases, have a proper review of what led to this failure David DavisShadow home secretary Control orders explained | What they should do now is be a little bit more candid about what happened in these two cases, have a proper review of what led to this failure David DavisShadow home secretary Control orders explained |
| The second man, an Iraqi, is thought to have been missing for some months. | The second man, an Iraqi, is thought to have been missing for some months. |
| Civil liberties campaigners have called the orders, which restrict a suspect's movements, "unfair" and "a farce". | Civil liberties campaigners have called the orders, which restrict a suspect's movements, "unfair" and "a farce". |
| But Mr Davis denounced the episode as "extraordinary" and "essentially another failure in the Home Office". | But Mr Davis denounced the episode as "extraordinary" and "essentially another failure in the Home Office". |
| He said the government had been warned about "weaknesses" in the operation of the orders and he was "really rather surprised that we weren't told about this". | He said the government had been warned about "weaknesses" in the operation of the orders and he was "really rather surprised that we weren't told about this". |
| "It's incredibly serious," he told the BBC. "It's more than an embarrassment. These are people they describe as being a danger to the public. | "It's incredibly serious," he told the BBC. "It's more than an embarrassment. These are people they describe as being a danger to the public. |
| "It was almost certainly a piece of incompetence that these people got away." | "It was almost certainly a piece of incompetence that these people got away." |
| Public danger? | Public danger? |
| He added: "What they should do now is be a little bit more candid about what happened in these two cases, have a proper review of what led to this failure - not leap to conclusions before they've done their review. | He added: "What they should do now is be a little bit more candid about what happened in these two cases, have a proper review of what led to this failure - not leap to conclusions before they've done their review. |
| "I would like a proper Commons statement." | "I would like a proper Commons statement." |
| HAVE YOUR SAY If it is broke, then fix it. But let's not again have a knee-jerk reaction to this problem Charles Brindley, Brigg href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4312&start=0&edition=1&ttl=20061017094714" class="">Send us your comments Meanwhile, Mr McNulty, a Home Office minister, said there may be a need for a stronger version of control orders which would depart from the European Convention on Human Rights. | |
| He told BBC Two's Newsnight: "We'll keep this under review. We have provision in the law for a different form of control orders and at this stage we don't rule either in or out." | He told BBC Two's Newsnight: "We'll keep this under review. We have provision in the law for a different form of control orders and at this stage we don't rule either in or out." |
| Asked why the Home Office had not told the public earlier about the suspects' escapes, he said: "I can say very clearly and assure people that the people who needed to know in both cases have known." | Asked why the Home Office had not told the public earlier about the suspects' escapes, he said: "I can say very clearly and assure people that the people who needed to know in both cases have known." |
| In response to suggestions the two suspects could carry out an attack at any time, Mr McNulty said: "On balance, I don't think that's the case at all." | In response to suggestions the two suspects could carry out an attack at any time, Mr McNulty said: "On balance, I don't think that's the case at all." |
| Appeal | Appeal |
| Control orders were brought in for cases where people are suspected of being involved in terrorism-related activity, but there is not enough evidence for a criminal prosecution. | Control orders were brought in for cases where people are suspected of being involved in terrorism-related activity, but there is not enough evidence for a criminal prosecution. |
| They were introduced last year after Law Lords ruled it was illegal for the government to hold terror suspects indefinitely in jail without charge or trial. | They were introduced last year after Law Lords ruled it was illegal for the government to hold terror suspects indefinitely in jail without charge or trial. |
| When placed under a control order, suspects can be tagged, confined to their homes and banned from communicating with others. | When placed under a control order, suspects can be tagged, confined to their homes and banned from communicating with others. |
| They are said to be reserved for dangerous terror suspects. | They are said to be reserved for dangerous terror suspects. |
| The family of the British suspect say they are concerned for his safety and are appealing for his return to fight the allegations against him. | The family of the British suspect say they are concerned for his safety and are appealing for his return to fight the allegations against him. |
| 'State of mind' | 'State of mind' |
| The suspect maintains that he was arrested during a recent visit to Pakistan, held for seven months and tortured by the intelligence services. | The suspect maintains that he was arrested during a recent visit to Pakistan, held for seven months and tortured by the intelligence services. |
| His brother told BBC News: "We don't know what to think. We don't know what sort of mind he might be in." | His brother told BBC News: "We don't know what to think. We don't know what sort of mind he might be in." |
| The Iraqi suspect managed to get his curfew conditions relaxed earlier this year before disappearing. | The Iraqi suspect managed to get his curfew conditions relaxed earlier this year before disappearing. |
| Shami Chakrabarti, director of human rights group Liberty, said control orders did not work. | Shami Chakrabarti, director of human rights group Liberty, said control orders did not work. |
| "This confirms our worst fears about the farce that is the control orders regime. They are both unsafe and fundamentally unfair," she said. | "This confirms our worst fears about the farce that is the control orders regime. They are both unsafe and fundamentally unfair," she said. |
| "If someone is truly a dangerous terror suspect, why would you leave them at large? | "If someone is truly a dangerous terror suspect, why would you leave them at large? |
| "On the other hand it is completely cruel and unfair to label someone a terrorist and to subject them to a range of punishments for years on end without ever charging them or putting them on trial." | "On the other hand it is completely cruel and unfair to label someone a terrorist and to subject them to a range of punishments for years on end without ever charging them or putting them on trial." |
| Nick Clegg, for the Liberal Democrats, said the case was a "huge embarrassment" for ministers. | Nick Clegg, for the Liberal Democrats, said the case was a "huge embarrassment" for ministers. |
| He said: "The danger of control orders is that they short-circuit due process and keep suspects in a state of limbo." | He said: "The danger of control orders is that they short-circuit due process and keep suspects in a state of limbo." |