Posts Tagged ‘Home Secretary’

Terror Threat Level Reduced

On Monday the Home Secretary, Theresa May announced that the Terror Threat to the UK from International Terrorism would be reduced from Severe to Substantial.This means that a terrorist attack is a strong possibility and might well occur without further warning. The Terror Threat level posed by Northern Irish Terrorism remains unchanged at Severe in Northern Ireland and Substantial on the UK Mainland. Prior to this Terror Threat change, the UK was at Severe since the 22 Jan 2010.

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On the 20 Jan 2011 under Statutory instrument 2011 No 108 the Home Secretary added Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan to the list of Proscribed Terrorist organisations in the UK. Proscription means that it is illegal to pedal propaganda, recruit or fundraise in the UK. The entry came into force 24 hours after the entry so the 21st Jan 2011. this takes the number of Terrorist Groups proscribed in the UK to 61.

Teresa May, the Home Secretary, yesterday announced that Control Orders in their current form were to be scrapped and replaced with legislation that would be far more liberal and Civil Liberties friendly.

The detention period for suspects held under the Terrorism Act 2000 was 28 days without trial. under new guidelines the maximum detention without Trial is 14 days UNLESS it is in times of emergency then it can be extended. Under a technical legislative  device passed by the last government the detention period is 14 days with power to extend.

S44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 gave the police powers of “stop and search” Under changes a senior officer would need to give authorisation for no-suspicion stop-and-search. Please note this is NO SUSPICION stop and search. The police still have stop and search powers under Sect 1 (2) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act which says in a nutshell: The main power, used on a daily basis by the police is contained in S1 PACE  It allows police officers to stop and search a person or vehicle for stolen or prohibited articles. The power can only be exercised if the officer has “reasonable grounds” for suspicion.

RIPA has come in for criticism for the way it has been used by Local Authorities to spy on individuals, for instance, to make sure they live in the catchment area for a certain school. Under new powers Local Authorities will need to go to a Magistrate to get authorisation to carry out a RIPA authorised surveillance. The only time they would not need a Magistrates authorisation is if it is the investigation of a serious crime.

RIPA is often quoted as being Counter terror Legislation. it never was nor was it designed as Counter Terror Legislation. It is in place to allow authorities named in the Act the authority to investigate crime where National Security, The Economic well being of the County and Public Safety are involved.

A court of appeal ruling has cleared the way for two international terrorism suspects to claim damages for having control orders wrongly imposed on them for three and a half years. The judgment also raises the prospect that a third suspect will not be prosecuted for breaching the terms of his control order, which has also been quashed. The ruling, by three appeal court judges headed by Lord Justice Maurice Kay, upholds a previous high court judgment that the control orders against the three men should not merely be revoked but quashed because they should never have been made in the first place. The control order case involves three terror suspects who, for legal reasons, can only be named as AE, AF and AN. The decision to quash their control orders followed a landmark high court ruling that none of them had been given sufficient disclosure of the evidence against them to support the home secretary’s claims that they were engaged in terrorism-related activities.

The European Court of Human Rights has rejected the UKs application to appeal its decision in a recent finding that Stop and Search powers used as part of Counter Terror legislation breached Human Rights.

The European Court held in Jan 10 that sect 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 violates Article 8 of the Human Rights Act (right to privacy and family life)

This ruling which is now absolute has thrown Stop and Search into disarray and the Home Secretary has ordered an urgent review of the powers. Sent via BlackBerry® from BT

The home Secretary has announced, within the last hour that the current Threat Level has been raised from substantial to Severe.

He has said that this is not in response to any intelligence that could lead to attack.

The Home Secretary consults with The Joing Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) before making a decision as to the Threat Level. JTAC is made up of the main Security and Intelligence agencies.

It has been announced by the Home Secretary that full body scanners will be introduced to all UK airports within the next 3 weeks. Alan Johnson also said that explosive trace detection equipment should be introduced at all airports by the end of the year. This announcement comes after Gordon Brown ordered a review of Security at UK airports.

BAA has reportedly begun training their staff in behavioural analysis techniques in an attempt to heighten security awareness. Transit passengers are also to face more scrutiny when passing through the UK as Farouk Abdulmutallab did on Christmas Day.

The Government is also looking at identity based profiling in the battle against terrorism. As expected civil liberty groups have reacted angrily to the new proposals.

Well, as we reported on the 09 July 2009, figures were due out that showed no change, and in some cases an increase in knife crime. Today official figures have been published showing exactly that.

The Home Secretary was a little tongue tied and wandered off track when questioned about the figures on Sky News this morning. We can have all the think tanks, committees, experts and excuses for the problem but until people start accepting that there is a problem then the cycle will continue.

We (SPP Solutions) have approached Schools Colleges and Universities to offer FREE Edged Weapons Awareness training and all have said they “don`t have a problem” and its a problem in other areas not theirs. This is a problem that has the potential and does blight every community walk of life and culture in the country and until we ALL accept it, stop wrapping it in government statistics and work together nothing will change.

The UK Terror Threat level has been reduced from Severe to Substantial.

The Home Secretary said this morning that there remained a “real and serious threat” from terrorists and the public would see very little change in security presence and procedures.

The UK had been on Severe since the 04 July 2007, the day after the Glasgow Airport attempted bombings. In the days running up to the Glasgow Airport attacks the UK was on the highest threat level Critical (attack is imminent)

Substantial means that there is a “strong possibility” of attack.

The UK threat level is decided by JTAC (Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre)