Clarke warns of further terror alerts
The home secretary has warned that the terrorists responsible for London’s bomb attacks could be planning further attacks in Britain.
Charles Clarke said he feared further attacks if the perpetrators were not caught, but added that he was “very optimistic” of catching the bombers.
Speaking on the BBC’s News 24, Mr Clarke said: “Our fear is of course of more attacks until we succeed in tracking down the gang that committed the atrocities on Thursday.
“That is why the number one priority has to be the catching of the perpetrators.”
Commenting on his optimism that the bombers would be apprehended, he added: “I am confident that the perpetrators will be brought to justice in the end.
“I am very optimistic indeed. I think the track record of our security services in bringing people to justice is good.”
Praising police for their response to Saturday night’s security alert in Birmingham, Mr Clarke warned of his belief that the bombings would spark “a whole series of threats”.
He refused to be drawn on whether those responsible for the London bombings were British-based, as indicated by former Metropolitan police commissioner Sir John Stevens earlier on Sunday.
But he said there were British citizens suspected of terrorist activities and indicated that he would consider issuing further “control orders” to restrict the movements of terror suspects if he thought they were necessary.
Mr Clarke also insisted that appropriate legislation was in place to deal with the terrorist threat and said existing measures had helped thwart previous attacks.
He added that measures had also been introduced in response to pressure for tighter border controls. The government’s e-borders scheme will electronically check people leaving and entering Britain with national databases.
Mr Clarke is also due to discuss proposals for closer telecommunications monitoring with his European counterparts, so that intelligence sources can gather information such as the retention of phone call and e-mail times.
Meanwhile, Conservative leader Michael Howard has called for an inquiry to see if lessons can be learned following Thursday’s terror attacks.
He told BBC News 24 that he hoped the government would re-consider his party’s proposals to establish a border police and a minister for homeland security in light of the attacks.
“Let’s look again at our arrangements and whether anything more could have been done and see if the government will look again at these proposals,” Mr Howard said.
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy, whose party was against the war in Iraq, said he did not think the London bombings were linked to the conflict.
While he did not rule out supporting emergency measures if there were further attacks, he told the same programme that compromising civil liberties in the wake of the bombings would represent a victory for the terrorists.
