GMP in terror-search blunders

Greater Manchester Police were among 14 forces who illegally searched thousands of people nationwide under counter-terrorism laws.

Officers and civil servants allowed operations using section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 to go ahead, even though the appropriate paperwork was not in place.

According to information given to parliament, 40 operations by 14 forces had no legal basis.

Among them were operations in Greater Manchester on January 19, 2004, August 16, 2007, and September 13, 2007.

Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 allows the police to stop and search someone without suspecting that an offence has taken place.

The Home Office has written to each of the 14 chief constables and said the forces were now in the process of assessing how many individuals were illegally stopped and searched and would “do their best to contact those involved”.

Security Minister Baroness Neville-Jones said: “I take these matters extremely seriously and have instructed the department to conduct an urgent review of current procedures to ensure that errors can be prevented in future.

“The Government is already committed to undertaking a review of counter-terrorism legislation which will include the use of stop and search powers in section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

“We shall make our findings known as soon as possible.”

Officials at the Home Office, National Policing Improvement Agency and Association of Chief Police Officers are examining the mistakes and an urgent review is under way. People searched could be in line for compensation.

The blunders were uncovered after the Metropolitan Police, which is responsible for about nine out of 10 section 44 searches, began to investigate a request under the Freedom of Information Act.