April 09, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - A majority of people in Britain question their government’s recent attempt to reform current terrorism laws, according to a poll by YouGov. 54 per cent of respondents think the Labour party administration wants to extend the pre-charge detention period to up to 42 days without charge because it wants to look tough on terror, while 35 per cent believe the change seeks to help the police do their job.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - A majority of people in Britain question their government’s recent attempt to reform current terrorism laws, according to a poll by YouGov. 54 per cent of respondents think the Labour party administration wants to extend the pre-charge detention period to up to 42 days without charge because it wants to look tough on terror, while 35 per cent believe the change seeks to help the police do their job.

In addition, 70 per cent of respondents believe the current 28-day pre-charge detention limit should remain, but the police should be allowed to question suspects further after they have been charged, if the police obtain fresh evidence on related offences.

In July 2005, four blasts in London killed at least 53 people and injured 700 more. Investigators say three British nationals of Pakistani descent and a Jamaican-born man were responsible for the explosions at three underground stations and a double-decker bus. Authorities believe the event was a coordinated suicide bombing, the first to ever occur in Western Europe.

In November 2005, the Labour government’s original anti-terrorism bill was defeated in the House of Commons after a 322-291 vote. A revised version of the legislation—which allows for a 28-day detention period for suspected terrorists instead of the 90-day period sought by then British prime minister Tony Blair—was introduced and passed immediately following the conclusion of the first vote.

In late June and early July 2007, two attempted car bombings were reported in London, and a car—filled with gas cylinders and fuel—crashed into the doors of Scotland’s Glasgow Airport in another apparent attack. Six people were arrested in connection with the incidents, which according to British investigators, were related.

On Apr. 1, Britain’s chief prosecutor Ken Macdonald responded to British prime minister Gordon Brown’s calls for extending the pre-charge detention limit, saying, "In our experience, the 28-day limit works well."

Polling Data

The police currently have the power to detain and question people suspected of terrorism offences without charge for up to 28 days. This is called "pre-charge detention". The government would like to extend this period to up to 42 days without charge. Which of these do you think is the government’s main motivation for this proposal?

Because the government wants to help the police do their job	35%
Because the government wants to look "tough on terror"	54%
Not sure	11%

At present, once someone is charged with a criminal offence, the police are not allowed to question them further on that or any related offence. It has been suggested that instead of being allowed to hold suspects without charge for up to 42 days, we should keep the 28-day limit, but give the police the power to charge suspected terrorists for a lesser offence (for example, possessing articles for terrorist purposes) and then, if the police gather fresh evidence, they should be able to question the suspects further, and to charge them later with a more serious offence (for example, conspiracy to murder). If you had to choose between these three options which would you prefer?

We should keep the present 28-day limit, and also keep the rule that prevents the police from questioning suspects after they have been charged	7%
The police should continue to be barred from questioning suspects after they have been charged, but the time limit for holding suspects without charge should be raised to 42 days	13%
The 28-day limit should remain, but the police should be allowed to question suspects further after they have been charged, if the police obtain fresh evidence on related offences	70%
Don’t know	10%

Source: YouGov
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,926 British adults, conducted from Mar. 25 to Mar. 27, 2008. No margin of error was provided.