Food and Events

Two of the terror suspects being questioned over the alleged plot to blow up transatlantic airliners are being investigated for links with the 9/11 attacks on the United States. However, Glen Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said officers were "less than enthusiastic" about the proposals. "It's always been important in our system that there is a separation of powers ... so there is an independent scrutiny past the police action at two different stages," he said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme "This would effectively take that away.

It's a blurring of the lines." He added: "This is the thin edge of what could be a much larger wedge. If we wanted a Judge Dredd-style system that would probably be the way you might start.". The Government was warned today it risked alienating the Muslim community over reported plans to introduce airport security screening on ethnic and religious grounds. The Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent Ali Dizaei said tougher checks based on ethnicity and religious background would create a new offence of "travelling whilst Asian".. Mr Rowley told Acpo's Police Professional magazine the service had seen its powers reduced so much that it was in danger of being no more than an agency of referral to a "slow and inaccessible" criminal justice system. "It therefore is time to debate whether constables should be given substantial additional, discretionary, summary powers to meet these challenges," he said.

In the above scenarios, the sentences would effectively be passed on the streets with an appeal to courts later. Neighbourhood constables could slap three-month bans on gang members mixing with each other in public or meeting at a particular location. A possible fine, parenting order or Asbo could be issued if the ban was breached. Mr Rowley also reportedly targets motorists who repeatedly drive in an unregistered car, with no insurance, driving licence or MOT. They would face immediate seizure of the car, which could be crushed, and receive an interim driving ban before a court date. Knife crime would be tackled by enabling officers to stop and search, based on "reasonable suspicion" from previous convictions.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) is considering pressing ministers to dispense punishment without the need for a court appearance. Among the proposals are the immediate exclusion of teenagers from town centres at night and to ban street gang members from associating with each other. Surrey's Assistant Chief Constable Mark Rowley has drawn up a series of ideas, which Acpo said were being considered internally. "These are all ideas Mr Rowley has floated in our magazine," a spokeswoman said. "They are things that are being considered internally and which we may want to see in the future." Mr Rowley suggests powers to exclude offenders from town centres for an "appropriate period" when they are issued an informal warning or a fixed penalty fine. Police chiefs are discussing whether to call for new powers of "instant justice" to combat anti-social behaviour, it was disclosed today.

The Home Secretary dominated the airwaves again yesterday following an early morning press conference outlining the lowering of the terror threat.. Muslim leaders have urged Ruth Kelly, the Secretary of State for Communities, to support Islamic family law in Britain to stop youths joining Islamic extremists. Following three hours of meeting with Muslim groups in Whitehall, Ms Kelly said: "There is a battle of hearts and minds to be won within the Muslim community, working with the Muslim community to take on the terrorist and extremist elements that are sometimes found within it, not just in the Muslim community, but elsewhere as well.". The Conservative leader David Cameron today criticised the Government for not "doing enough to fight Islamist extremism at home, or to protect our security" These are the main points from his speech.. But, queuing for departures, passengers with the familiar see-through plastic bags had vastly disparate carry-on possessions.. John Reid is increasingly being tipped by Labour MPs to run for the party's leadership after dominating the headlines in the aftermath of the alleged terror plot. Air travellers faced a fifth day of delays and confusion after a decision by the security services to lower Britain's terror threat level came too late to prevent further severe disruption.