A terror suspect has gone on the run just days after being put under a control order and giving up his passport, it emerged today.

The man is the third such suspect who has absconded under a control order.

Home Secretary John Reid was forced to give the news of his escape just a month having to admit the two others who broke their orders were still at large after going missing months earlier.

He told MPs in a written statement that the suspect vanished earlier this month while under the controversial order, which imposes a form of house arrest on those suspected of involvement with international terrorism.

As well as undermining the government’s anti-terror policy, the revelation is a further blow to Mr Reid, who is already under intense pressure over other failings in his department.

Mr Reid said that the Government did not intend to seek to overturn an anonymity order on the individual, insisting he was not a "direct threat" to the British public.

But the Conservatives immediately responded by calling for the absconder to be named, criticising Mr Reid for repeated failures in the Home Office.

Mr Reid said: "The control order was designed to address the risk posed by an individual who had recently been radicalised and wanted to travel abroad for terrorism-related purposes.

"Obligations included a requirement to report daily to a police station, to surrender travel documents and to reside at a specified address. The individual is not believed to represent a direct threat to the public in the UK at this time.

"Public safety is the top priority for the Government and the police. Locating the individual is an operational matter for the police. Investigations are ongoing."

"An anonymity order is in place and, after consulting the police, the Government is currently not seeking to overturn it," he added.

But David Davis, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: "Far from getting a grip since John Reid took over, the Home Office has been marked by murderers walking out of open prisons and suspected terrorists escaping from control orders.

"This latest failure demonstrates what we said some time ago. This legislation has achieved the remarkable double of being both repressive and ineffective at the same time.

"Unless there are special circumstances, such as if it could prejudice another trial, this individual should now be named. If there is sufficient suspicion that this man is involved in terrorist activities to restrain his activities, there is sufficient suspicion to name him in the interests of protecting the public."

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We have always made clear that control orders were introduced as a next best alternative for dealing with suspected terrorists.

"We have sought stronger controls to deal with suspected terrorists who cannot be prosecuted, but have been prevented by Parliament and the courts."

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