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Threat of terrorism in UK "severe" and "growing": Smith

13/04/2008

The terrorism threat facing the UK is "severe" and "growing" according to the home secretary Jacqui Smith.

In an interview in today's News of the World, Ms Smith once again called for the police to be granted extra time to detain suspects.

The home secretary currently faces a Labour rebellion over controversial plans to extend the time suspects can be held without charge to 42 days.

Ms Smith claimed that 30 terror plots were currently being investigated by police and the figure was growing.

"We now face a threat level that is severe. It's not getting any less, it's actually growing," she said.

"There are 2,000 individuals they [the police] are monitoring. There are 200 networks. There are 30 active plots.

"That has increased over the past two years. Since the beginning of 2007, 57 people have been convicted on terrorist plots.

"Nearly half of those pleaded guilty so this is not some figment of the imagination. It is a real risk and a real issue we need to respond to.

"We can't wait for an attack to succeed and then rush in new powers. We've got to stay ahead."

Currently, suspects can be held for up to 28 days without being charged after former prime minister Tony Blair's plans to extend the limit to 90 days were defeated in the 2005.