Scotland Yard's fears over terror suspects in London

Home Secretary Theresa May can't say that she has not been warned over the possible increase in risk from the Government's watering down of anti-terror laws.

Scotland Yard chiefs have now put their concerns on the public record so no-one can be in doubt about their views on ditching powers to relocate suspected terrorists out of London.

In a letter obtained by The Standard, Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick makes clear that new surveillance teams will not be fully trained by the New Year when the changes are due to take place.

Control orders, with the relocation powers, are being replaced by terrorism prevention and investigation measures.

But the Met chief highlighted that the force has warned that it would take at least until next summer to recruit and fully train more surveillance officers to track terror suspects allowed back into the capital in Olympic year.

Assistant Commissioner Dick also makes the point that the Met will work to try to ensure that there is no "substantial" increase in the overall risk to the UK from the changes to the anti-terror controls.

The force has repeatedly stopped short of saying that there would be no increased risk from the reforms.

At least five suspected terrorists have been ordered out of London using the relocation powers including one who the security services believed was plotting a Mumbai-style attack in the UK.

Home Office minister James Brokenshire say: "Both the Met and the security service have made clear that there should be no substantial increase in risk and that appropriate arrangements will be in place to manage the effective transition from control orders to TPIMS.”

 Nicholas Cecil