Challenge to terror claim

Security chiefs have challenged Tony Blair's dramatic claim that "several hundred" terrorists are operating in Britain, it was claimed today.

The Prime Minister issued the warning in a bid to justify the Government's new anti-terror laws before a crucial series of votes.

In the end, the emergency powers for house arrest scraped through the Commons by a waferthin margin. In one vote, 60 Labour MPs rebelled, cutting the Government's majority to 14.

The revolt was a massive blow to Home Secretary Charles Clarke. It was the worst rebellion since the Bill bringing in university top-up fees, also piloted by Mr Clarke, led 72 MPs to rebel and saw the government majority slashed to five.

As the new anti-terror Bill passed to the House of Lords, where it faces another mauling, Mr Blair's claim about the scale of the terrorist threat was coming under intense scrutiny.

Mr Blair had told Radio 4's Woman's Hour: "There are several hundred in this country who we believe are engaged in plotting or trying to commit terrorist acts."

He said the police and security services had asked for control orders, with the clear implication that if the Bill was lost, Britain would be left without adequate defences against scores of potential suicide bombers.

Downing Street said Mr Blair had been referring to those suspects being monitored by the security forces, some of whom would be placed under control orders.

But a senior security source quoted in the Times said the true number regarded as a "serious or moderate" threat was much lower, probably 20 or 30.

The source said Mr Blair's figure referred to 200 or so people who MI6 said had visited terrorist training camps in Afghanistan or Pakistan before the September 11 attacks. Forty or 50 were regarded as a moderate or serious threat and, of these, 15 had left Britain.

The remainder included some of the terror suspects held in Belmarsh and other jails, who are due to be released within weeks and subject to control orders.

The source said Mr Blair's remarks were inaccurate, "irresponsible and likely to scare people unnecessarily". However, he said he was certain there would be a major terror attack, possibly using a "dirty bomb", in London.

Confusion about the figures grew when Mr Clarke said he thought Mr Blair was referring to some 700 suspects being questioning or under police surveillance.

The controversy will unnerve government officials who fear ministers' reputation for accuracy on security issues was damaged by the Iraq dossier affair and the missing weapons of mass destruction.

As the Bill passed to the Lords today, Mr Clarke was putting down an amendment to let judges initiate house arrest rather than taking the decision himself. The issue sparked the biggest revolt in the Commons last night.

Lord Strathclyde, Tory leader in the Lords, warned that the Bill would have to be rewritten to be passed. "The Government should consider the use of intercept evidence in trials and drop the most objectionable proposals, which are for house arrest," he said.