Written evidence to be reported to the House
Counter-Terrorism Bill
4:00 pm
Sue Hemming: There is probably discomfort among certain communities about extended detention, but a lot of that relates to a lack of understanding of exactly what its purpose is, how it is operated and what the safeguards are. As Sir Ken has said, a lot of it is about confusion with internment. There are quite a few safeguards, in that the police, the prosecutor and then the judge have to look at it on a regular basis. Making an application for a warrant for further detention is not an easy process, nor should it be. The decision about whether to make an application in the first place is not one that is taken readily. From the community point of view it is as much about explaining what it is, how it works and why we need it, as it is about the length of time; however, there may come a length of time when it becomes more uncomfortable.