Police warned on stop and search

BBC | August 2 2005

Comment: They play the race card when it suits them. In the name of equality, everyone is subjected to the police state. If a murder was committed by a 50-year-old white guy, would the police go looking for 20-year-old black guys? When I arrived at Kings Cross on Thursday, they were searching white guys with no luggage. I walked past with three big bags and they didn't bat an eye.

Police should not use racial profiling in their efforts to prevent further terror attacks on London, Home Office Minister Hazel Blears has said.

People should not be stopped and searched just because they are Muslim she said, before the first of a series of meetings with community leaders.

The powers should be used on the basis of available intelligence and not in a discriminatory way, Ms Blears added.

She also urged police to explain to communities how they used the powers.

There have been concerns from Muslim leaders that the searches could harm community relations.

Ms Blears said the police had guidance that they "should not be used against any particular community".

"Just picking people up just on the basis that they're Muslim is never going to get the result you want," she said.

The comments come as Ms Blears was beginning talks with Muslim leaders across the country, in an attempt to improve community relations and root out extremists.

At the first, in Oldham, she will meet councillors, police and MPs, as well as Muslim leaders.

Ms Blears wanted to ensure the "genuine anger" of some young Muslims was heard.

"It's a very difficult thing to do but it is absolutely vital to make sure that we give people a sense they have a say here," she added.

Brazil meeting

The meeting was being held as police continued to question further suspects, arrested on Monday, in connection with the attempted bomb attacks of 21 July.

And a senior Metropolitan police officer has met in Brazil the family of Jean Charles de Menezes, shot dead by police after he was mistaken for a suicide bomber.

In Italy, Osman Hussain, the man police suspect of attempting to attack Shepherd's Bush on 21 July and who was arrested in Rome, has been charged under anti-terrorism laws.

Ms Blears would not comment on whether she was concerned that his return to Britain could be delayed by local charges or the extradition process.

'Guilty by association'

Ahead of Tuesday's meeting in Oldham, the former chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality Lord Herman Ouseley said it was important that ministers were seen to be taking the lead in building bridges.

It was important they not only understood the "tensions and anxieties" that had been "created as a result of the terrorism strikes", but the local situation on the ground, he said.

Labour councillor Riaz Ahmed said: "We're all victims and what we don't want to see is the Muslim community ending up as a second class citizen as a result of these atrocities."

The meetings come after Tony Blair said a taskforce would be set up to prevent young people from being sucked into the kind of extremist ideology thought to have led the London bombers.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke will discuss the plans with Muslim leaders on 20 September.