AS TWO Barkingside men suspected of planning acts of terrorism absconded from control orders, Home Secretary John Reid is considering stepping up security measures.

Proposed changes to the Terrorism Bill put forward by the Home Office include measures that will allow police to stop and question anyone in the UK.

Police are still likely to need a reasonable suspicion that a crime may be commited, and anyone refusing to co-operate could be fined up to £5,000.

A spokeswoman for the Home Office said the proposal is one of several measures to be consulted on and considered by Mr Reid.

Police currently have powers under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 to stop and search people or vehicles in an area seen as being at risk from terrorism, even if they are not suspected of any breach of the law.

The new legislation would give officers an automatic right to stop and question anyone in the UK about suspected terrorism.

Cllr Mark Aaron, Conservative cabinet member for community safety and environment on Redbridge Council, is against the proposals.

He said: "To stop a suspected terrorist is one thing, but I do not agree with police stopping someone just because they do not like the look of them.

"This is not a police state, it is not Nazi Germany. This country is not full of terrorists - we are talking about a minimal amount of people. I think this is unfair. It will create divisions in the community and ethnics will get picked on. It will only cause trouble in the long run."

Prime Minister Tony Blair wrote in the Sunday Times that the disappearance of the suspects under control orders was a symptom of a society which put civil liberties before fighting terror.

LEE SCOTT MP for Ilford North, said he does not see how greater powers for police to stop and question people at random will help fight terrorism.

He said: "I thought the powers were already in place.

"If police suspect somebody of being involved in terrorism they have the powers to stop them, so I would like to see the full details of what is being proposed and why.

"With Anthony Garcia they were able to arrest him under existing powers, so what are these new powers going to give them?

"Whatever measures are brought in must be measures that are going to work, not just measures that are being imposed for the sake of it.

"But what is paramount here must be the protection of the public."