More than half those arrested in the UK on suspicion of terrorism since September 2001 have been released without charge, according to figures.

Home Office statistics show 669 of the 1,228 people arrested in terrorist investigations were later freed.

Some 224 have been convicted in terrorism-related trials - and 114 are waiting to come before the courts.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/6902522.stm

How does that compare to usual detentions and release without charge?

Information without perspective is just a higher form of ignorance.

zooloo wrote:
How does that compare to usual detentions and release without charge?

Information without perspective is just a higher form of ignorance.

There are NO other forms of detention without charge !

A suspect in any other form of alleged crime can only be held for 24 hours.

Sorry I didn't make that clear.

How many people are arrested and released without charge compared to those charged?

ETA I did try googling for this but failed to get any useful results.

What I'm wondering is if compared to larger scale organised crimes have more people been arrested and released without charge?

I don't think there are any meaningful figures for people held on suspicion (of non terror offences) and then not charged with any offence.

The "key" factor here is the "detention (for long periods) without charge" (and then often no charge at all - even though someone's life may have been destroyed).

Given that the police already have 28 days possible detention - and want that increased to at least 90 days - I don't believe there is any justifiable reason (and fortunately both the Tories and Lib Dems, as well as many Labour MPs agree).

The thread started with people who had been arrested and later released.

Almost glad there's no comparable data as I couldn't find it.

Not believing there is any justifiable reason doesn't mean there isn't one.

So far the Tories and Libs have been a bit quiet and even if they objected to current Government policy, well that is their reason for existence.

Thanks for taking the time to reply ITK.

zooloo wrote:

Not believing there is any justifiable reason doesn't mean there isn't one.

It doesn't mean there is either !

When you are locking people up for 28 days (or 90 days ... or indefinately) - I think it should be based on more than a whim !

Aplologies here to zooloo for speaking on his behalf, but I believe, ITK, what he means is if you make a statements of this nature you need to produce evidence to back it up, and you haven't.

I suspect you are probably right, and people are being remanded on a whim, but for all we know it is also possible that the police had reliable intelligence which warranted their actions.

I personally don't want to embark on a guilty until proven innocent route even when it involves our questionable government and police service. If we do that, we lower ourselves to their standards.

Let's just get this straight.
Police and Government are asking that innocent young black, asian or brown males (rarely female, rarely white, rarely middle aged) should serve 6 months sentence in prison (90 days with early release) for no reason.

VERY dodgy.

Anthony wrote:
Aplologies here to zooloo for speaking on his behalf, but I believe, ITK, what he means is if you make a statements of this nature you need to produce evidence to back it up, and you haven't.

What I did was repeat the story the BBC was running - with link. As their evidence came from a Home Office statement, I think that's enough, don't you?

It's impossible to compare 2 entirely different sets of circumstances. Long detention - without charge - simply does not exist in other areas of the law so it's impossible to compare.

For terror offences (allegedly) people are being detained for long periods of time on "whims" (or prejudice?) - and over half are released without charge (after their lives have been destroyed) and of the ones who are charged many are charged with much lesser crimes (which would not have qualified for that detention period in the first place).

I feel the problem here is a lack of communication.

We don't know why the Police wish to extend the limit on detention. I hope it is more than a mere whim, indeed I feel it must be.

If the failure of communication is from the media, Police or government I don't know. That the general public don't expect/demand sufficient information is a sad reflection on us all and the root of how we have got to where we are.

Yes, we should be concerned about this detention issue but it must be considered rationally not emotively.

On the numbers detained and released without charge this may be quite usual, once again we don't know.

They may have been detained and released within hours. This could be quite typical if for example any one of us was in a house with some criminals and the Police raided we would very likely be "taken in" with the others.

If that happened I may be annoyed by the inconvenience but it understandable that I was associated with the people around me until determined otherwise.

If an emotive reaction to "terrorist threats" is bad then an emotive reaction against it is bad.

We should expect all sides to provide fact and evidence to support their case.

In The Know wrote:
[quote]Anthony wrote:
For terror offences (allegedly) people are being detained for long periods of time on "whims" (or prejudice?) - and over half are released without charge (after their lives have been destroyed) and of the ones who are charged many are charged with much lesser crimes (which would not have qualified for that detention period in the first place).

I'm not sure that people are arrested on whims or prejudice but certainly some arrests are "inteligence" led which as I understand it means the "inteligence" came from an informant. I believe that if we have a justice system then the courts should see the evidence not allow the police to be judge and jury and detain suspects on evidence that has no substance.

The two Asian brothers who were arrested last year in London were arrested because of "information received" one of the men was shot by an over zealous officer, both men turned out to be completely innocent!

The police should not have the powers to indefinately detain, that decision IMHO should be a matter for the courts who already have the powers to remand suspects into custody where there is eveidence of wrong doing.

Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said six people had been held for the full 28 days - three of whom were charged and three who were not.

Source - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6289020.stm

Which is roughly where I came in by stating that HALF of all suspects detained under terror laws were released without charge !