Q&A: anti-terror plans

Last Modified: 14 Nov 2007
By: Channel 4 News

The prime minister is set to outline new anti-terror plans this lunchtime. So what can we expect?

What are the plans about?

The idea behind the new anti-terror plans is to give more protection against terror attacks in public areas like rail stations, airports, shopping centres and sports centres.

Why have they been drawn up?

The attempted bombings in London and Glasgow airport earlier this year triggered concern over public safety. Security minister Lord West was then asked to deliver plans on how to protect these areas now considered to be higher risk at a time when, the prime minister says, attacks could hit "anywhere and from any place".

So it's just more anti-terror stuff, then?

Not exactly, details will also be unveiled of the planned border force combining immigration, customs and visa staff and a relaxation of air luggage rules.

But when asked on BBC Radio's Today programme whether he backed government plans to extend the pre-charge detention limit of terror suspects before charge, Lord West said: "I want to have absolute evidence that we actually need longer than 28 days.

"I want to be totally convinced because I am not going to go and push for something that actually affects the liberty of the individual unless there is a real necessity for it."

Tories, Lib Dems and some Labour MPs plan to try to block the move to raise the limit, saying there is no evidence change is needed.

What sort of things can we expect?

Lord West told the Today programme about a variety of measures which will be suggested. These include instructing architects to design anti terror features into new buildings.

"There is no doubt there are very real threats, that the design in the past of certain buildings and certain places does not make it easy to counter a terrorist attack on them," he said.

"If a bomb goes off, we have actually built into them the shrapnel that will kill and injure people and we can actually do things to make this better."

Is that the solution the government is offering?

No, they are seen as precautionary measures. Lord West said today: "None of the measures would be effective without "exorcising this cancer of terrorism", by "stopping the radicalisation of our youth".