MI5 head to brief MPs' committee

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MI5 boss Jonathan Evans is to give an off-the-record briefing to MPs looking into counter-terrorism plans.

The influential Commons home affairs committee is probing moves to extend the 28-day pre-charge limit on holding terror suspects without charge.

During a committee session on Tuesday MP Martin Salter revealed Mr Evans was planning to meet privately with MPs.

Mr Salter said he was "frustrated" as Mr Evans had spoken in public to the Society of Editors earlier this month.

The committee's investigation follows Home Secretary Jacqui Smith's insistence that it is time to look again at extending the limit for pre-charge detention.

'Frustration'

This is the period of time available to police officers to investigate, gather evidence and question terror suspects before they are charged.

Tories, Lib Dems and some Labour MPs are planning to try to block the move, saying there is no evidence a change is needed.

During an open hearing of the committee on Tuesday, Rachel North, a survivor of the 7 July London bombings, backed that stance, saying it could lead to fewer people reporting suspicious behaviour to the police.

It then emerged that Mr Evans, MI5's director general, will also give evidence to the committee MPs - but behind closed doors.

Mr Salter, a Labour MP, said he was "frustrated" that the spy chief would speak to MPs in secret, but gave a speech to the Society of Editors in public.

A committee spokeswoman said there was no mention of Mr Evans as a witness on the committee's agenda for future open hearings and the arrangement was a private one made with the MPs.

She said it was an informal meeting which was private, with no record taken for the committee's report.

Terror training

Mr Evans took over as director general of MI5 in April, following Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller's decision to step down.

Earlier this month, he told the Society of Editors' annual conference that there were at least 2,000 people in the UK who pose a threat to national security because of their support for terrorism.

He said children as young as 15 were being recruited for terrorist-related activity by al-Qaeda.

He added that resources that could be devoted to counter-terrorism were instead being used to protect the UK against spying by Russia, China and others.

At Tuesday's home affairs committee hearing, Ms North said she had seen no evidence to support the government's proposals to increase the pre-charge detention period.

Impact of pre-charge detention

"I have not seen anything that convinces me that longer than 28 days is needed to stop people such as (7 July ringleader) Mohammed Sidique Khan detonating their bombs in future," she said.

"I have not seen any evidence that shows we need to go beyond 28 days.

"I wonder how likely people will be to report a neighbour or someone who comes into their workplace if that person will be kept in a windowless room for four weeks.

"I wonder what impact that might have on people thinking of reporting their concerns, not just in the Muslim community, but in all communities."