Warning over 'huge' terror threat

A counter-terrorism minister has warned al-Qaeda are planning "complex plots" against Britain.

Lord West, the former head of the Royal Navy, said there was a "huge" threat from extremists as the House of Lords continued debating the Counter Terrorism Bill.

Lord West said: "There is another great plot building up again and we are monitoring this.

He said: "Some of the measures that we have put into place in the past 15 months have made us safer, but that does not mean that we are safe. The threat is huge. It dipped slightly and is now rising again within the context of 'severe'.

"There are large complex plots. We unravelled one, which caused damage to al-Qaeda, and the plots faded slightly. However, another great plot is building up again, which we are monitoring.

"We have done a great deal to protect ourselves and to look after our water supplies, our resilience, underground trains, our preparedness and communications."

He added: "We have done all the things that we need to do, but the threat is building - the complex plots are building."

Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said that such comments could prove counter-productive in the fight against terrorism.

He said: "These comments are reckless in the extreme."

"We are told the police have to strike a balance between early arrest during a developing terrorist conspiracy in order to protect the public, and waiting long enough to ensure there is enough evidence to secure a conviction.

"The minister's comments give us the worst of all worlds - cutting across both objectives."

The Home Office would not confirm Lord West's statement.

A Home Office spokesman said: "We have always been clear - as has the director general of the Security Service (MI5) - that there are many plots, individuals and groups under investigation. We don't elaborate on specific plots or individuals."

Lord West's warning came after peers forced the Government to abandon plans to extend maximum pre-charge detention for terror suspects to 42 days.

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.