JURIST - Paper Chase: Airplane plot suspect asks UK court to compel disclosure of reasons for detention

[JURIST] One of the terror suspects arrested in London earlier this month in connection with the foiled terror plot [JURIST report] to bomb airplanes crossing the Atlantic Ocean has challenged his continued detention in a London court. Lawyers for "Detainee J" have petitioned the High Court in London for an emergency hearing Monday in an attempt to secure an order compelling the government to disclose the reasons for the detention. Last week, a British judge extended the detention of 23 suspects [JURIST report], allowing police more time to question the detainees and hold them without charge. Detectives may now question 21 of the suspects until August 23 and two of the suspects until August 21.

The Terrorism Act of 2006 [text, PDF] allows police to hold someone suspected of terrorist activity without charge for a maximum of 28 days from arrest, provided that a court is advised of the reasons for continued detention. Those reasons are kept secret, and Detainee J's lawyers hope that if the judge grants their disclosure request, the decision will serve as an important step toward securing a ruling that the detention is unlawful. AFP has more.

For a one-stop snapshot of the latest legal news that matters, with breaking documents, new legal videos, live law-related webcasts, commentary by expert law professors and more - all updated through the day in real time, with no ads and no registration barriers - visit JURIST's homepage and check back often...