Police stop 180,000 people under draconian laws but only 255 arrested

Kirsty Walker
Daily Mail
Thursday, February 12, 2009

Police have used anti-terrorism powers to stop and search almost 180,000 suspects, it emerged yesterday.

Yet only 255 of the individuals they targeted were subsequently detained for terrorist- related offences.

The figures suggest that police may be misusing powers granted to them under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 supposedly for use only in extreme circumstances.

(ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW)

The Home Office statistics, which were released to the Daily Mail under Freedom of Information laws, show a ten-fold use in the power since its introduction.

In 2000-01, just 3,583 people were stopped under Section 44. Of these, only one was arrested for terrorism offences.

But in 2006-07, a staggering 37,197 were stopped and searched by officers.

Only 28 were subsequently arrested for terrorist-related offences.

Full story here.

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