Abp of York fears UK "police state"

THE Archbishop of York warns today that Britain is in danger of turning into an Idi Amin-style police state.

Dr John Sentamu, who fled Amin's Uganda in the 70s, hit out after Home Secretary John Reid proposed increasing the time that terror suspects can be held without charge from 28 to 70 days.

Citing earlier attempts to introduce a 90-day limit, he said: "If you detain people, you must have a chance of successful prosecution.

"The Home Secretary has not produced evidence to show that in 90 days you can prosecute.

"Why does he want all these days? So the police can do what? Gather more evidence?

"To me that becomes, if you're not careful, very close to a police state in which they pick you up then say later, 'We'll find evidence against you'. Read more