Law chief casts doubt on time limit change for terror suspects

Published on Tuesday 10 June 2008 14:38

GORDON BROWN'S plans to extend time limits for detaining terrorist suspects suffered a new blow today after Scotland's top prosecutor questioned the need for the change.

Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini's comments were immediately seized upon by opposition politicians. MPs today began debating moves to extend the time limit from 28 days to 42 days.

But the Lord Advocate said: "I am not aware of any case where an extension of the period beyond 28 days would have been required.

"I therefore share the view of (Director of public prosecutions] Sir Ken MacDonald and the former Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, that the requirement for an extension to the current 28 day is not supported by prosecution experience to date."

Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael said he could not think of a precedent for an intervention of this kind by the Lord Advocate.

He said: "It is incredible that the Home Secretary insists on continuing in the face of opposition, now from the Lord Advocate and the Director of Public Prosecutions.

"We must also bear in mind that Elish Angiolini is a career prosecutor and not a politician, unlike her predecessors."

SNP Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing said: "We are not at all convinced that it is necessary to extend the period of 28 days within which someone can be held without charge to 42 days."