Rail police chief hits back at claims that Asians are targeted in terror searches

Published on Saturday 22 December 2007 18:49

THE police chief in charge of stop-and-search on Scotland's railways has dismissed attacks on his force as "nonsense", following claims that Asians were being unfairly singled out.

Figures last week revealed that one in seven searches on passengers since July had been on non-white people, who make up only 2% of the population.

Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill attacked the British Transport Police, claiming the disparity showed there was something "far wrong" with how searches were carried out. But Ian Johnston, chief constable of BTP, hit back, saying: "The people who come through major routeways like Glasgow are not necessarily representative of the population.

"To expect there to be an exact crossover in population terms is a nonsense."

Figures released last week showed that more than 14,000 people and vehicles have been searched in Scotland under the new powers since the summer.

SNP ministers believe this is too high and are calling for an explanation from the BTP over their tactics. But Johnston issued a robust defence, pointing out he had received no complaints from passengers in Scotland.

He warned trains remain a key terrorist target: "We are not into political correctness; we are into making sure people are safe. We have seen attacks in London, Madrid, Russia and India and that makes us determined to ensure we do a proper job."

Asked whether MacAskill's attack – including a claim the BTP were working to a "London diktat" – could have harmed operational duties, he replied: "It could have done, but we are not going to let it." He said he plans to meet MacAskill soon.

But a spokesman for MacAskill said: "The justice secretary wants answers from British Transport Police on why these figures are so high – particularly when our eight local constabularies have always been able to react to similar threats and challenges yet only used these special powers on a much smaller scale."