No evidence for longer detention need, says Reid

LONDON, Dec 12 (Reuters) Home Secretary John Reid said today he had seen no evidence to extend the time police can hold terrorism suspects without charge, an issue that has been highly divisive for Prime Minister Tony Blair's party.

Last year Blair failed to persuade parliament to back his plans for up to 90 days detention, despite Labour's majority.

Lawmakers instead voted for a 28-day limit, up from the previous 14 days, handing Blair his first parliamentary defeat in the process.

Reid said he had not seen facts to back up calls to increase the number of days of detention but did not completely rule out extending the police powers.

''This case has not yet been made to me,'' he told parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee.

''If the police bring a case to me with factual evidence, then I would seek to bring it back (to parliament). We want to give the police the tools to do the job.'' He added any proposals to extend detention times would come with the assurance that the powers would not be misused.

Rights campaigners criticise the government for eroding civil liberties while opponents in parliament have accused Blair of indulging in the politics of fear.

However the prime minister argued that police needed the new tougher powers in the aftermath of the July 2005 London suicide bomb attacks by British Islamists.

Reid's comments echo those of Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, the government's top legal adviser, and Lord Alex Carlile, the independent reviewer of Britain's security laws.

However when Blair unveiled his legislative plans for the forthcoming year last month, he signalled that the issue would be revisited as part of a package of new anti-terrorism measures to be announced in the New Year.

The new laws will be based upon a review of security measures recently carried out by Reid, and he indicated Britain needed to overhaul its anti-terrorism methods.

''It needs a seamless, integrated, driven, politically overseen counter-terrorism strategy which places at its heart the recognition that above all this is a battle for ideas and values,'' he said.

Reid also played down fears of an imminent terrorism incident after having said in a TV interview on Sunday that an attack over the Christmas was ''highly likely''.

He told the committee Britain was at the same risk level -- the second-highest ''severe'' -- as it had been three months ago.

''We have no information suggesting a particular threat over the Christmas period,'' he said.

REUTERS PDM RN2117