British police will be allowed to hold terror suspects without charge for twice as long under proposals unveiled by the government today.
The changes will increase the time suspects held under terrorism legislation can be locked up without charge from seven to 14 days.
At the moment, the police must apply to a court for an extension of up to seven days if they want to hold a suspect for longer than 48 hours.
Home Secretary Mr David Blunkett accepted the measures would be controversial but said they were necessary because it took time to investigate members of loose-knit networks across international boundaries.
The proposals will form an amendment to the criminal justice bill due to be debated in parliament later this month.
The government also plans to bring in stiffer penalties for passport and driving licence fraud, and anyone with suspect documents will face immediate arrest.
Mr Blunkett said passport and driving licence fraud were "gateway offences to organised crime and terrorism".
Britain has arrested hundreds of terror suspects since the September 11th, 2001, attacks on the United States, but the vast majority have been released or charged with lesser offences.