Police searches soar after failed London bombings

LONDON, Aug 6 (Reuters) Anti-terrorism police dramatically stepped up random searches of members of the public in London last month after failed car bombings in the capital and Glasgow, police said today.

Nearly 11,000 people were stopped and searched in July, five times the monthly average for the year to the end of March.

Scotland Yard said extra searches under anti-terrorism laws will continue, despite concerns from civil rights campaigners that they are ineffective and undermine community relations.

The law allows officers to search people or cars in an area seen as being at risk from terrorism even if they are not suspected of having broken the law.

Figures released today showed that the number of searches in London soared in the weeks after two cars packed with fuel, gas tanks and nails were found in the capital.

Police were already on high alert after four suicide bombers killed 52 commuters in London in July 2005.

''Terrorists have been thwarted, but as the appalling attacks of July 2005 and recent events demonstrate, we must assume that they will try again,'' said Commander Rod Jarman, of the Metropolitan Police.

''You may see an increase in overt counter-terrorism activities by the police over the coming months.

''To compliment our more covert methods of fighting terrorism we must have a more visible presence to deter and prevent terrorist activity.'' Civil rights group Liberty said random searches can erode relations between police and the community.

''Exceptional powers of stop and search without suspicion should only be used when facing specific threats,'' said Liberty's Gareth Crossman.

''Unfortunately, excessive use has severely undermined community relations and proved a waste of valuable police resources.'' Earlier this year, a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) said the searches may do more harm than good.

Toby Harris, the Home Secretary's representative on the MPA, which oversees the London force, said only 27 people were held under suspicion of terrorism out of 22,672 stopped in the year to September 2006.

''Twenty-seven arrests producing the level of dissatisfaction, concern, anger and distance I think is something we need to look at,'' he told a conference in London.

Some Muslim leaders say the power has been disproportionately used against Muslims since the 2005 attacks.

REUTERS AE VC2120