Blunkett faces revolt over terror powers

David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, faces a cabinet backlash over his plans to overhaul anti-terrorism laws aimed at deterring an attack in Britain.

David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, faces a cabinet backlash over his plans to overhaul anti-terrorism laws aimed at deterring an attack in Britain.

A powerful coalition of ministers opposes the renewal of emergency powers to detain foreign terrorist suspects without charge. They also warn that measures designed to combat domestic terrorism could backfire because they cause resentment among a generation of young Muslims.

Mr Blunkett's critics include the Government's senior law officers, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the Lord Chancellor, and Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney General, Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, and Patricia Hewitt, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The Home Secretary has already encountered resistance among senior ministers to proposals for compulsory identity cards and a national DNA database.

Hostility has intensified as Mr Blunkett draws up a new package to replace anti-terrorist legislation of 2000 and 2001. Most contentious is his determination to keep the power to detain suspected international terrorists without trial. A total of 12 foreign nationals, including several at Belmarsh prison in south-east London, have been held under the power, rushed in shortly after the 11 September attacks in 2001.

Some ministers argue the measure is "disproportionate" to the threat faced by Britain and could even play into the hands of terrorists. They also fear the recent US Supreme Court ruling that more than 500 foreigners held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba had the right to challenge their indefinite detention could leave Britain exposed if a similar policy continues to be applied at Belmarsh. They have also noted hints that the US Democratic presidential contender, John Kerry, could act on the ruling if he wins power later this year.

Lord Falconer and Lord Goldsmith are leading ministerial opposition to renewing the power. One source said: "Blunkett wants the most inflexible approach. But others are coming up with alternative options."

Separately, cabinet colleagues have warned Mr Blunkett of growing disquiet over the way domestic anti-terrorism laws have been applied. Of more than 500 arrested under the Terrorism Act of 2000, just 14 have so far been convicted.

They have told him that it is building resentment among law-abiding Muslims who believe it is being used indiscriminately against their community. Both Mr Straw and Ms Hewitt, a former general secretary of the National Council for Civil Liberties, have a sizeable Muslim populations in their constituencies.

Other proposals being examined by Mr Blunkett include relaxing the ban on evidence gathered by police through bugging, creating an offence of "acts preparatory to terrorism" to convict people on the edge of terrorist networks and staging "pre-emptive" trials of terror suspects in secret before state-selected judges and with vetted defence lawyers. He has already dropped a move to lower the burden of proof in terrorist trials in the face of cabinet opposition.

Consultation on proposed new anti-terrorism laws ends this month, with Mr Blunkett due to present his conclusions in October or November.

A spokesman for Liberty, the civil rights organisation, welcomed signs of cabinet resistance to tougher legislation. He said: "The only way we can effectively combat the perceived terrorist threat is by winning the hearts and minds of Muslims in the UK. We won't do this if we are seen to be trampling over their basic rights."