Terror raids review critical of police
Updated on 24 November 2009
Manchester police should have consulted properly with prosecutors before last April's anti-terror raids, prompted by the release of a photo of terror chief Bob Quick carrying secret documents.
Fewer arrests would have been made by Greater Manchester Police if the force had discussed its plans properly with prosecutors, according to a new independent report by Lord Carlile.
The report also points to failures in record keeping and call for new training for officers on anti-terror laws.
The raids, known as Operation Pathway, were launched prematurely in April after Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick, who was then Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism boss, was photographed holding secret documents on his way into Downing Street.
Quick, who resigned following his blunder, was criticised in the report for allowing the sensitive material into the public domain. After it became public, the raids were brought forward by a day.
The report wants ministers to consider changing the law to allow granting bail to some terror suspects.
Lord Carlile writes: "It was unwise of the police in this case not to actively seek legal advice from the CPS during the process of planning the arrests.
"Such advice should in fact have been sought in advance, even in the compressed time period in which all were working because of various events in the operation."
"I recommend that the CPS should at the very least be kept informed of counter-terrorism operations and asked to provide any material advice as soon as arrest of identified individuals is seen as likely.
"Indeed, common sense and good judgement demand that they should be involved in an advisory capacity before arrest."
Ten of the 11 young men arrested were released without charge into immigration custody and of those eight returned home voluntarily to Pakistan. Two remain in immigration detention and are challenging attempts to deport them on the grounds they pose a threat to national security.
The men will have their cases heard by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission next year. Mr Justice Mitting, who will hear the case, refused them bail in August after hearing allegations about "coded" emails.
Mention of an impending wedding in an email sent in April was believed to be evidence of an al Qaida-inspired bomb plot. Lawyers for the men have said the emails are entirely innocent.
The 11th man had joint UK and Pakistani citizenship.
Most of those arrested were in the UK on student visas, leading to fears about the potential abuse of "bogus" colleges. Lord Carlile raises concerns about the standard of checks on students coming into Britain.
