Britain: Britain's former head of the Metropolitan Police, John Stevens, has warned that there could be as many as 200 al-Qaeda terrorists in the UK.
He gave his support to the government's anti-terror proposals to impose restrictions, including house arrest, on suspected terrorists and said any delay in enacting the law "can only give comfort to the terrorists in our midst waiting to attack us".
His comments came as the government signalled it would offer no more significant concessions to critics of the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Bill.
"The main opposition to the Bill, it seems to me, is from people who simply haven't understood the brutal reality of the world we live in and the true horror of the terrorism we face," he wrote in the News of the World.
There were possibly more than 200 al-Qaeda-trained terrorists walking the streets of Britain in a threat which "thrives" despite the best efforts of brave police and undercover surveillance teams.
Recalling the cases of would-be shoe-bombers Richard Reid and Saajid Badat - both British citizens - Mr Stevens said: "The brutal truth is that there are more just like them, as much British citizens as you and I, living here now just waiting to kill and be killed in their awful misguided cause."
Briefings on the plans of militant Islamist terrorists since September 11th, 2001, had made his hair "stand on end", he said. "We need to take new steps for new threats. At the very least, this new Act must be passed as soon as possible."
Health secretary John Reid made clear that Labour plans to brand those blocking the measures "soft on terrorism", saying that parties that oppose the plans will have to explain themselves to the British people.
The Bill scraped through the House of Commons by 14 votes last week, and returns tomorrow to the House of Lords, where it will face more opposition.
The government was forced to table new legislation on terror suspects after the Law Lords ruled in December that current provisions to detain them without trial were unlawful.
Home secretary Charles Clarke has already offered some concessions to get the bill through by March 14th, when the old provisions run out.
He has agreed to hand over the power to place terror suspects under house arrest to the courts, but is resisting attempts to require him to get their approval for less stringent orders, such as electronic tagging or curfews.
Dr Reid told ITV1's Jonathan Dimbleby programme yesterday: "I don't think there will be any further major concessions, because we have to protect people in this country. The other parties have, quite frankly, to make their minds up and then explain their position to the people of this country."
Neither Tories nor Liberal Democrats have shown any sign of softening their opposition to the proposed measures. - (PA)