Police: We can't guarantee safety of Belmarsh suspects

LONDON - The release of eight terror suspects descended into chaos last night amid police warnings that officers cannot guarantee the men's safety and attacks by opposition leaders on the "total lack of planning" for such a major security operation.

Less than 24 hours after the UK Government secured powers to enable the men to be held under "controlled house arrest", senior police sources charged with handling their transfer branded the security arrangements as "chaotic" and warned the suspects may need to be given new identities.

"There will have to be some consideration for their physical safety," a senior Metropolitan police source told The Independent on Sunday last night.

"Chaotic isn't the word. No one knows what will happen. It is very much a case of suck it and see."

On a day laced with high drama and farce, the police warnings came after one of the suspects had to be taken to the psychiatric wing of a London hospital after police tried to transfer him to a secure flat, but had to break in because they did not have keys.

A 24-hour hotline that was supposed to have been installed was also not working, meaning the man had no access to Home Office officials. Psychiatric social workers deemed it unsafe to leave him alone in the flat.

Another former detainee was released with no money or food and spent yesterday alone and hungry in his empty accommodation. He was served with a control order yesterday afternoon which prevents him from making phone calls, inviting anyone into his accommodation or arranging to meet anyone outside unless he has prior permission from the Home Office.

Another of the suspects was still being held last night at Colnbrook detention centre near Heathrow.

The confusion was seized on last night by lawyers, civil liberties campaigners and opposition MPs.

Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, one of the lawyers acting for the detainees released from Broadmoor, said her clients were told only on Friday they had to pack up and leave their wards because the police were waiting to escort them.

"We don't know what is going to happen now. All these detainees are now waiting for the knock," said Ms Scott-Moncrieff.

"The whole thing is clearly last minute. If they put conditions which are impossible to meet then I don't see how they can keep to them."

Gareth Peirce, the leading human rights lawyer who is acting for most of the former detainees, said the process had been "a sham from start to finish".

"They appear to be making it up as they go along," said Ms Peirce. "It is a state of complete and utter confusion and it is terrifying for the individuals concerned."

Mark Oaten, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said: "This is an absolute shambles and will raise serious questions about the effectiveness of control orders. There can be no excuses, as the Home Office has had months to prepare for this moment."

David Davis, the Shadow Home Secretary, said that he was shocked but not surprised by the chaos surrounding the imposition of the first control orders.

"This aspect of the exercise is as chaotic as the rest of it. All of this was eminently foreseeable. They have known ever since the Law Lords' finding that the risk of these people having to be released was very high. It's all of a piece with the way they have handled the legislation."

The row broke out following the passing of legislation late on Friday night, after two days of chaotic arguments between the Commons and the House of Lords, that enables the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, to deprive British subjects of their freedom without letting them see the evidence against them.

The plight of the former Belmarsh detainees has been used by critics to highlight what could be in store for British suspects who are judged by the intelligence services to be a danger to the public.

The Government was told three months ago by the Law Lords that they would have to rewrite the legislation under which the Belmarsh detainees were being held, because it discriminated between foreign nationals and British subjects.

As the political temperature flared last night, the Labour Party launched a fierce defence of Tony Blair's handling of the terror legislation, praising him for standing firm and accusing the Tory leader, Michael Howard, of playing politics with Britain's security.

The attack was led by the Environment Secretary, Margaret Beckett, who said: "Michael Howard would be a disastrous Prime Minister. He is a bad leader. A weak leader. An opportunist. And a man whose opportunism would present a risk to our country."

Earlier in the day, the Commons leader, Peter Hain, risked causing offence by describing Mr Howard as an "attack mongrel".

- INDEPENDENT