Abolition of control orders ‘grave mistake’

A FORMER independent terror watchdog has said it was a “grave mistake” to abolish control orders to monitor terrorism suspects.

Lord Carlile said the sweeping powers “may have saved dozens of lives” between 2005 and 2011.

The independent peer and top QC also urged Theresa May to use their replacements “to their full effect now”, with just a handful of people currently subject to terrorism prevention and investigation measures (TPIMs).

Control orders restricted the freedom of terrorism suspects.

But they were abolished by the coalition government in 2012 amid concerns over their impact on civil liberties.

Lord Carlile told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “In my view control orders worked very well in the period between 2005 and 2011.

“Fifty-three people were placed on control orders, 23 of them with relocation requirements and restrictions on the use of the internet and so on.

“I believe that may have saved dozens of lives and my view is that it was a grave mistake by the coalition government to remove control orders and to produce something more dilute.”