Past blunders put pressure on police to make case stick
Times
Scotland Yard is under pressure to turn the arrests over transatlantic terrorism into successful criminal prosecutions.
The alleged plot to blow up as many as 12 aircraft has been described by senior police as a plan to "commit mass murder on an unimaginable scale".
The threat alert has been raised to "critical", the highest level, and ministers say that it will remain there. Britain and the United States appear to be on a war footing for an attack on a par with 9/11.
But the situation is being viewed with some scepticism. Figures released last night showed that of more than 1,000 arrests under the Terrorism Act since 9/11, 158 people have been charged with terrorist offences. About 60 people are awaiting trial on terrorism charges.
The authorities need to win over a public used to dramatic police activity followed by admissions of error. The mistaken shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, a Brazilian electrician, at Stockwell Tube station in July last July, has cast a long shadow over anti-terrorism operations.
His death was declared by police at the time to be directly connected to the hunt for terrorism suspects thought to have attempted suicide attacks.
Almost five years ago, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in the US, there had been similar fervour over the arrest of Lotfi Raissi, an Algerian pilot, who was said to have trained the hijackers to fly.
Mr Raissi was held for six months and the British courts were told he was connected to the 9/11 conspiracy. The case against him collapsed because the evidence was found to be without foundation.
The apparently bungled raid on a family home in Forest Gate, East London, in June has also damaged confidence in the police. Abdul Kahar Kalam, 23, was shot as he and his brother were arrested when 250 police stormed their home.
An air exclusion zone was established over the area and police in chemical protection suits searched for a "chemical vest" that, according to a tip-off, was hidden in the building.
Nothing was found. The family is being housed at a hotel in London while its home is being repaired. Read more
Scotland Yard is under pressure to turn the arrests over transatlantic terrorism into successful criminal prosecutions.
The alleged plot to blow up as many as 12 aircraft has been described by senior police as a plan to "commit mass murder on an unimaginable scale".
The threat alert has been raised to "critical", the highest level, and ministers say that it will remain there. Britain and the United States appear to be on a war footing for an attack on a par with 9/11.
But the situation is being viewed with some scepticism. Figures released last night showed that of more than 1,000 arrests under the Terrorism Act since 9/11, 158 people have been charged with terrorist offences. About 60 people are awaiting trial on terrorism charges.
The authorities need to win over a public used to dramatic police activity followed by admissions of error. The mistaken shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, a Brazilian electrician, at Stockwell Tube station in July last July, has cast a long shadow over anti-terrorism operations.
His death was declared by police at the time to be directly connected to the hunt for terrorism suspects thought to have attempted suicide attacks.
Almost five years ago, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in the US, there had been similar fervour over the arrest of Lotfi Raissi, an Algerian pilot, who was said to have trained the hijackers to fly.
Mr Raissi was held for six months and the British courts were told he was connected to the 9/11 conspiracy. The case against him collapsed because the evidence was found to be without foundation.
The apparently bungled raid on a family home in Forest Gate, East London, in June has also damaged confidence in the police. Abdul Kahar Kalam, 23, was shot as he and his brother were arrested when 250 police stormed their home.
An air exclusion zone was established over the area and police in chemical protection suits searched for a "chemical vest" that, according to a tip-off, was hidden in the building.
Nothing was found. The family is being housed at a hotel in London while its home is being repaired. Read more
posted by exoplanet at 5:28 PM
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