Anti-terror Stop and Search Powers to Be Scrapped
THE GUARDIAN: Police forced to abandon power to stop and search the public without reasonable suspicion after European court rules it illegal

Under new guidelines police will no longer be allowed to stop and search individuals without having to show reasonable suspicion of terrorist activity. Photograph: The Guardian
The police's use of controversial counterterrorism stop and search powers against individuals is to be scrapped immediately, the home secretary announced today.

Under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, officers can stop and search anyone in a designated area without having to show reasonable suspicion. Interim operational guidelines to be issued to the police say that in future section 44 powers will be used only to search vehicles, and officers will have to have grounds for suspecting they are being used in connection with terrorism.

Section 44 stop and search powers were used on more than 148,798 occasions last year and have been a key element in the campaign against terrorism.

The home secretary's decision to scrap their use against individuals follows a ruling by the European court of human rights in January that the powers were unlawful because they were too broadly drawn and lacked sufficient safeguards to protect civil liberties.

The Strasbourg case was brought by peace protester Kevin Gillan and a journalist, Pennie Quinton, who were unlawfully abused when police stopped and searched them on their way to a demonstration outside the annual Excel centre arms fair in east London in 2003.

In an unexpected statement to the Commons today, May said she had taken urgent legal advice and consulted the police since the Strasbourg ruling was confirmed as final last Wednesday. "In order to comply with the judgment, but avoid pre-empting the review of counter-terrorism legislation, I have decided to introduce interim guidelines for the police," the home secretary told the Commons.

"I am therefore changing the test for authorisation for the use of section 44 powers from requiring a search to be 'expedient' for the prevention of terrorism, to the stricter test of it being 'necessary' for that purpose. And, most importantly, I am introducing a new suspicion threshold." >>> Alan Travis, home affairs editor | Thursday, July 08, 2010

Israel Tells Nationals: Leave Sinai Immediately
HAARETZ: Counterterrorism unit warning of planned attacks during the upcoming Jewish holiday period.

Israel on Tuesday issued a travel warning for its nationals visting the Sinai peninsula in Egypt, advising them to leave the area immediately.

The warning came from the government's counterterrorism unit. The unit warned Israelis of planned attacks during the upcoming Jewish holiday period, which begins with Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), at sundown on September 18.

The announcement mentioned tensions along the northern border of Sinai with the Gaza Strip, as well as recent threats from Hezbollah to strike at Israelis. >>> Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent | Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Obama Talks to Indonesia, Saudi Leaders on Economy
THE WASHINGTON POST: WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama discussed the global economic crisis with his Indonesian counterpart on Friday and explained his commitment to forging better relations with the Islamic world, the White House said.

The U.S. president also discussed the economic crisis and the upcoming Group of 20 summit of developed and developing nations in phone calls with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines, the White House said in a statement.

In a wide-ranging conversation with Indonesian President Bambang Yudhoyono, Obama spoke of the need for close cooperation in confronting the economic crisis, it said.

"They agreed to advance our comprehensive partnership with a focus on issues, including education, health care, climate change and counterterrorism," the statement said.

"The two leaders also discussed regional and international issues, including the president's commitment to a new and different kind of relationship with Islamic communities around the world," it said. "They also discussed how to make progress on democracy and human rights in Burma."

Obama spent part of his childhood in Jakarta and attended school there. After a previous conversation, Yudhoyono told a local newspaper that Obama had greeted him in Indonesian. >>> Reuters | Friday, March 13, 2009

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