U.K. Terror Suspects Protected by Anonymity Rules

U.K. Terror Suspects Protected by Anonymity Rules

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Laws in the U.K are not tailored to the war against terrorism.

London 2005 bombings (Francis Tyers, Wikimedia Commons)
London 2005 bombings (Francis Tyers, Wikimedia Commons)

U.K. cabinet ministers are at the center of a security row after information has leaked that two terrorist suspects who went on the run more than six years ago are still protected by anonymity orders. MI5 describes one of the men as a key al-Qaeda “recruiting sergeant” and the other has been linked to the Kenyan shopping center attack last year.

The Telegraph reports that neither man can be named as they are protected by anonymity orders granted in court, orders which the Home Office has not contested. The court instructed journalists not to publish either of the suspects’ names, even though they may still post a threat.

According to HLS News Wire the senior human rights lawyer who was responsible for reviewing government’s anti-terrorism laws when the two men absconded, called on ministers to help lift the orders.

iHLS – Israel Homeland Security

The Telegraph notes that the anonymity issue will only add to the growing criticism of the government over the system of rules used for dealing with the threat posed by terrorist suspects. For example, seven men suspected of terrorism will be released into the community in the next few weeks when the control measures restricting their movements expire. These men, however, will benefit from anonymity.

Security experts say that some or all of these men, if they so choose, will be in a position to evade surveillance by using their anonymity. The two terror suspects at the heart of the recent row fled detention in 2007 and remain at large.

The Home Office said it could not discuss the case of either man and said the “imposition and lifting of anonymity orders is a matter for the courts.”