But he also insisted that the powers of arrest, search, and seizure under the Terrorism Act 2000 were used “lawfully and appropriately” by the police in all the circumstances during Operation Grid launched during the papal visit.
'There will be future temptations to use the TA 2000 powers in relation to individuals as to whom the necessary reasonable suspicions do not exist, particularly in the context of international high-profile events such as the London Olympics,” he also warned.
The Muslims from North Africa worked as street cleaners in London, when they were arrested after allegedly being heard discussing an attack during the pope's visit but were released without charge two days later.
Anderson said that “constant vigilance is required to ensure that the legal boundaries of those powers are respected, as they were in this case.'
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