ID cards 'will not stop terrorism'

Daily Mail
Jan. 29, 2006

Compulsory ID cards would have only "limited value" in the fight against terrorism, the Government's reviewer of anti-terror laws has admitted as he signalled a U-turn in his support for the controversial measure.

Liberal Democrat Lord Carlile of Berriew told GMTV's Sunday Programme he had changed his stance on the issue, having previously backed the plans.

"ID cards could be of some value in the fight against terrorism but they are probably of quite limited value," he said.

"I cannot think of a terrorist incident in which ID cards could have brought the incident to an earlier end.

"I don't think they will get through a compulsory ID card."

But he added a voluntary scheme might be accepted by the public.

Days after peers debated the controversial Terror Bill, Lord Carlile also said he thought the legislation had been "rushed".

"I don't think there was a need to rush through the current terror legislation. I would have preferred it to go to a scrutiny committee. I think it's led to certain issues being muddled by political debate rather than analysis."

Earlier this week former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens urged Conservative leader David Cameron to drop his opposition to the scheme.

"I think that, not only is it going to be of absolutely great use in terms of dealing with organised crime, terrorism, identity problems and identity theft - which is a major problem in this country at the moment - but I think it will give a certain amount of certainty and take away some of the rubbing points when police officers stop people in the street and the like," Lord Stevens said in an interview for GMTV.