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Brown to unveil anti-terror plans Brown to unveil anti-terror plans
(about 1 hour later)
Plans to protect public places, railway stations and other key buildings from terrorist attacks are due to be launched by the prime minister. Gordon Brown is to announce measures to give better protection against terror attacks on rail stations, airports, shopping centres and sports stadiums.
The security minister, Lord West, was asked to draw up the proposals after the summer's attempted bombings in London and at Glasgow Airport. Security minister Lord West was asked to draw up the plans after attempted bombings in London and Glasgow Airport.
Gordon Brown warned that attacks could hit "anywhere and from any place". The prime minister said attacks could hit "anywhere and from any place".
He is also due to unveil a report on a planned border force which combines immigration, customs and visa staff. He is also due to unveil more details of the planned border force combining immigration, customs and visa staff and a relaxation of air luggage rules.
Shattered glass Vigilance
Lord West had been asked to look at ways of strengthening security on the transport network, in public areas such as sports stadiums and shopping centres, and at utility sites. As part of his brief, Lord West has been examining ways of strengthening security in crowded public areas and has called for architects to include anti-terror features in new buildings and projects.
He has called for architects to include anti-terror features in new buildings and projects, it is believed. I want to have absolute evidence that we actually need longer than 28 days Admiral Lord WestSecurity Minister
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the minister had recommended that access roads leading to stations and crowded areas should be constructed so that drivers cannot build up speed. "I started very much on the premise that what we mustn't do is the terrorists' job for them," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Lord West is also understood to have said that windows need to be more carefully positioned - to minimise the risk of injury from glass shattered by an explosion. "Yes, there is a great risk, we've got to be vigilant - but we need to make sure we conduct our normal way of life in terms of business, work, pleasure, all these things.
But he has added that features such as barriers need to be as unobtrusive as possible, and that efforts should be made to minimise disruption to people's day-to-day lives. "There is no doubt there are very real threats, that the design in the past of certain buildings and certain places does not make it easy to counter a terrorist attack on them.
Local communities "If a bomb goes off, we have actually built into them the shrapnel that will kill and injure people and we can actually do things to make this better.
Details of the unified border force, first announced by Mr Brown in July, are also due to be outlined. "We very clearly, from now on, must always make sure we design in counter terrorism measures as we do counter crime measures."
'Cancer of terrorism'
The peer said he and his team had looked at how to protect existing buildings, by redesigning road layouts, putting in barriers and using specific types of glass.
He said Britain "can spend the national wealth on protecting ourselves and trying to chase these criminals down".
But none of the measures would be effective without "exorcising this cancer of terrorism", by "stopping the radicalisation of our youth" - a measure the prime minister is expected to update MPs on.
Asked whether he backed government plans to extend the pre-charge detention limit of terror suspects before charge, Lord West said: "I want to have absolute evidence that we actually need longer than 28 days.
"I want to be totally convinced because I am not going to go and push for something that actually affects the liberty of the individual unless there is a real necessity for it."
Border force
Tories, Lib Dems and some Labour MPs plan to try to block the move to raise the limit, saying there is no evidence change is needed.
Details of the unified border force, first announced by Mr Brown in July, are also due to be outlined on Wednesday.
A study led by the Cabinet secretary, Sir Gus O'Donnell, considered whether it should include police officers as well as those from the Border and Immigration Agency, Customs and the overseas UK Visa operations.A study led by the Cabinet secretary, Sir Gus O'Donnell, considered whether it should include police officers as well as those from the Border and Immigration Agency, Customs and the overseas UK Visa operations.
As part of a range of security announcements, the prime minister is also expected to update MPs on measures to counter radicalisation and extremism in local communities. Writing in the Sun newspaper, Mr Brown said: "Terrorism can hit us anywhere from any place.
Writing in the Sun newspaper, he said: "Terrorism can hit us anywhere from any place.
"But just as the terrorists use every method and the very freedoms we enjoy to kill or maim people, so we must also adopt new tools to beat the terrorists, secure our borders and create a safe global society.""But just as the terrorists use every method and the very freedoms we enjoy to kill or maim people, so we must also adopt new tools to beat the terrorists, secure our borders and create a safe global society."