DAVID BLUNKETT was criticised yesterday after he claimed that forthcoming court cases would expose the full threat to Britain posed by international terrorists.

Although he gave no specific details of the cases, the Home Secretary said: “Al-Qaeda and the international network is seen to be, and will be demonstrated through the courts over months to come to be, actually on our doorstep and threatening our lives.”

Last year, after the arrest of a suspected terrorist in Gloucester, Mr Blunkett made a remark which linked the man to al-Qaeda. After it was suggested that the Home Secretary might be in contempt of court, Lord Goldsmith, QC, the Attorney-General, had to put out a statement in which he said that the remarks did not “create a substantial risk of serious prejudice to any proceedings”.

Yesterday, Patrick Mercer, an opposition spokesman, said: “It’s interesting that whenever I have said anything in my capacity as homeland defence spokesman which has trodden close to the line [on contempt], Mr Blunkett’s department has been very quick to point out the dangers of overstepping the mark. I hope that he is not guilty of such an offence.”

Speaking on the BBC TV Politics Show, Mr Blunkett was trying to demonstrate the real threat to Britain posed by terrorism. His comments came as it emerged that Tony Blair is planning to include security and the terrorist threat as one of the main platforms of the election campaign next year.

In a speech on Saturday, Mr Blunkett denied that Labour planned to exploit “the politics of fear” at the election. However, in the interview yesterday, Mr Blunkett referred to suspects who had been arrested on terrorists charges.

He said: “I am talking about people who are about to go through the court system. They may be found not guilty. But our security and policing services have been securing our well-being over the last few years.”

Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, also referred to future court cases. On the BBC Breakfast with Frost programme, he said: “We have thwarted a number of attacks. We have disrupted them.” He added: “There are a number of people going through the courts. We can’t talk about the details, but we have had successes.”

Downing Street yesterday would not comment on remarks made by Mr Blair in another television interview when he said that some former detainees at Guantanamo Bay who had been released were “causing difficulties again”.

The Prime Minister was asked on Sky News whether the four remaining British terrorist suspects held at Guantanamo Bay would be sent home. Mr Blair replied: “It’s difficult because we have to make sure our own security is going to be properly protected if we have people back in this country.”

He added: “As you know, there have been incidents of people who have been back and causing difficulties again.”

A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said that Mr Blair was talking in the context of having to get a balance between security and the rights of an individual.

Gareth Peirce, the solicitor for three of the former detainees, denied that any of them had been in trouble.

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