-------------------------------------------------------- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4368524.stm Police stop and search 'rising' More people are being stopped and searched by police under anti-terror laws, research by the BBC has shown. The numbers have risen since the suicide bombings in London on 7 July. The powers allow police to stop and search people without the need to show that they have "reasonable suspicion" an offence is being committed. Over half of 18 forces in England and Wales said they had stopped more people in the last three months than in the previous year. The research by the BBC shows wide variations in the use of terrorism powers by forces in England and Wales. Just under half the 43 police forces in England and Wales provided recent figures for the stops and searches under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act of 2000. In recent months the use of section 44 has become increasingly controversial Christian Fraser Some forces like Cumbria or Devon and Cornwall have not used the power at all, while others have seen massive increases. For example, Hampshire police stopped more than 4,400 pedestrians and vehicles since 7 July, compared to just under 700 between 2003 and 2004. The force say the reason is that it has numerous military bases in its area. There were just four searches in Humberside in 2003/4, yet in the last three months, there were 1,830. In nearby Kent there were just 56 stops and searches in the last three months: in a county that is home to the Channel Tunnel and the channel ports. In his annual review, the government's reviewer of anti-terror laws Lord Carlile said overall the use of this power could be halved without any reduction in public safety. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/4368524.stm Published: 2005/10/23 05:08:56 GMT © BBC MMV -- -------------------------------------------------------- http://cyberjournal.org "Apocalypse Now and the Brave New World" http://www.cyberjournal.org/cj/rkm/Apocalypse_and_NWO.html Posting archives: http://cyberjournal.org/cj/show_archives/?date=01Jan2006&batch=25&lists=newslog Subscribe to low-traffic list: •••@••.••• ___________________________________________ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
