LONDON, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- A top British official says measures to control terror suspects who have not been criminally charged should be replaced with a laxer regime.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is urging the tough controls to be relaxed in cases in which there is insufficient evidence to charge a suspect with an offense, The Daily Mail reported Sunday. Clegg says he wants suspects to be free to travel freely within Britain and use the Internet and cellphones, despite warnings this could allow them to plot terror attacks.
Home Secretary Theresa May says she is adamant any scheme to replace control orders must be tough enough to prevent suspects from organizing terror attacks.
The Labor party introduced control orders after the previous policy of detaining certain terror suspects without trial was ruled illegal. Under the current scheme, nine suspects have been electronically tagged and subjected to a 16-hour-a-day curfew, banned from using the Internet and cellphones and from entering mosques or towns where they have known associates.
During their election campaign, Clegg's Liberal Democrats promised to end control orders.
A review of control orders is part of a wider review of terrorism laws, including 28-day detention, stop and search powers and the banning of extremist organizations, the Daily Mail said.
