The number of terror suspects under control orders has risen despite claims by ministers that they are an “affront to British justice”, the Home Office revealed today.
In a statement to Parliament, Home Secretary Theresa May said that two new control orders had been imposed since March 11 when the last official update was given to MPs.
Mrs May also revealed that another three orders already in place had been renewed to prevent them expiring. That means that although one order has been revoked because of a court ruling, the number of terror suspects subject to the curbs has risen to 12, one more than the previous total.
The orders impose restrictions such as curfews and limits on phone and computer use. The increase, which is certain to be attacked by civil liberties campaigners, comes despite a Liberal Democrat pledge before the election that they would be scrapped and similarly strong criticism of the system by the Tories.
Today, however, Mrs May said that while the future of control orders was being reviewed “as a priority”, two new ones had been obtained to counter the “terrorism-related risk” that the suspects posed. Although no details were given of the identity of the two suspects because of court anonymity rules, it is understood that the new orders apply to two Pakistani students, Abid Naseer and Ahmed Faraz Khan, who were arrested during anti-terror raids in the North-West in April last year.
Ministers had sought to deport the pair to Pakistan on security grounds, but were barred from doing so after an immigration court ruled that sending them back to their home country would be a breach of human rights because of the risk that they would be tortured.
The ruling was made despite an assessment by the judge, Mr Justice Mitting, that Naseer was an al Qaeda operative who remained a serious threat and that Khan was also willing to participate in terrorist activity.
Today’s statement by Mrs May also reveals that four of the 12 terror suspects currently under control orders are living in London. Ten are British citizens. Before the election Chris Huhne, who was then the Lib-Dem home affairs spokesman, described the orders as “pure Kafka” and “an affront to British justice”.
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