Just 7% of suspects found guilty under anti-terror laws, admits Home Office

Published on Wednesday 13 May 2009 22:05

MORE than half the people arrested in Britain on suspicion of terrorism since 2001 have been freed without charge.

The Home Office revealed yesterday that 1,471 people were arrested as suspected terrorists between September 2001 and March 2008. This is the first time it has compiled data on the often controversial arrests.

Of those, only 102, or 7 per cent, were eventually convicted under terrorism legislation, highlighting questions about police tactics – particularly following high-profile raids on Muslim communities that have failed to bring convictions.

The statistics show British Asians are at least twice as likely to be arrested by anti-terror police than members of other ethnic groups – a trend that has fuelled resentment in the Muslim community.

Of those arrested over the past four years, 303 – or 42 per cent – were classified as Asian – more than double the number classified as white.

Last month, police released all 12 suspects rounded up in a series of dramatic anti-terror raids in northern England, failing to charge any of the men with an offence. Most were Pakistani Muslims living in Britain.

Their release was an embarrassment for British authorities, after Prime Minister Gordon Brown said police had disrupted "a very big terrorist plot".

The figures cover Scotland, which has only seen one conviction under al-Qaeda-related terrorism charges. Mohammed Atif Siddique, 23, was jailed for eight years after being found of a string of offences, including possessing propaganda material on his laptop computer "for a purpose connected with terrorism".

The new figures show that 819 people arrested under terror laws have been freed by police.

The data shows that in addition to the 102 people convicted of an offence under Britain's terrorism laws, a further 94 others were convicted of "terrorist- related" offences under other criminal laws, such as conspiracy to murder. About 450 others also arrested were mostly charged with offences not considered to be related to terrorism, such as overstaying immigration visa, theft or fraud.

"The government is committed to investing in our counter-terrorist threat and wherever possible seeks to prosecute those involved with terrorism," said Vernon Coaker, the UK policing and security minister. "Where we can't prosecute, we seek to deport and where we can't deport, we seek to disrupt."

But Shami Chakrabarti, director of human rights organisation Liberty, said the "overwhelming majority" of terror suspects were innocent.

"All the more worrying is that wholly innocent people may be held for a month without charge or indefinitely without charge under control orders."

Analysis: Police have to put public safety first

THE low level of terrorist convictions compared to the number of arrests is understandable and unavoidable, writes Paul Wilkinson.

The police rightly regard public safety as their prime concern. Hence, if they receive intelligence indicating that there is a terrorist plot under way, perhaps as in London in July 2005, to carry out suicide bombings aimed at causing mass casualties, it is obviously far preferable to act to prevent or at least disrupt the attacks.

Intelligence on terrorist plots is notoriously difficult to gather and assess because cells are becoming increasingly adept at keeping their plans secret and hiding evidence, and because the intelligence available to the police is often inadequate and sometimes wrong.

However, if police failed to act and a terrorist attack did occur, possibly killing dozens, there would be an outcry.

Time and again the media and the public are warned not to pre-judge the outcome of investigations and court cases.

For example, when the police in north-west England made a dozen arrests last month, the chief constable of Greater Manchester warned that the police still had to find evidence.

When they failed to find the evidence those arrested were released without charge. The public should be reassured that the UK retains firm rule of law safeguards in the prevention and combating of terrorism.

Moreover, trial juries have shown that they require solid evidence before they are prepared to convict.

In 2007 and 2008, some 86 individuals were convicted of terrorism offences. This indicates improvements in the quality of intelligence, better international co-operation, and vigilance and co-operation from the general public.

The police and the judicial system are vitally important weapons for tackling terrorism, but no-one should be under any illusions. It is an extremely challenging task.

&#149 Paul Wilkinson is professor of international relations and chairman of the Advisory Board of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at the University of St Andrews