Terror plot remark 'reckless'

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Security Minister Lord West of Spithead has been accused of being "reckless in the extreme" after he claimed that the authorities were monitoring "another great plot" by terrorists.

The Tories warned that his comments, the day after the Government was forced to abandon its plans to detain terror suspects for up to 42 days without charge, could jeopardise public safety while undermining any police investigation.

There also appeared to be surprise in Whitehall at his remarks, with neither the Home Office nor the Metropolitan Police - which leads nationally on terrorism issues - prepared to confirm his statement.

Tory MP Patrick Mercer, a member of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, said that the minister should "reflect very carefully" on what he had said. "This is an extremely important post," he told Sky News. "I hope that Lord West has time to reflect on his comments and to decide whether they were sensible or not."

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jhg45Cqel0rZBwioneDRINYs86JQ