Theresa May today vowed to press ahead with reforms to control orders that will allow dangerous terror suspects to return to London shortly before the Olympics.
The Home Secretary admitted that the threat posed by the men - who include one allegedly planning a Mumbai style atrocity - was a "very serious issue". But she said powers allowing them to be exiled from the capital would be scrapped in January.
Her comments, which came as police announced that a mock terror attack would be staged at the Olympic Park next year to test security, follow warnings that the reform will increase the risk of an attack on the Games.
Mayor Boris Johnson has also urged Mrs May to "think again" over the change which will see the removal of existing powers barring terror suspects on control orders from the capital.
A senior Met officer told MPs that nine men were currently subject to "internal exile" restrictions and that many were likely to return to London when control orders are replaced by a weaker system of "terrorism prevention and investigation measures".
Mrs May today rebuffed the criticism as she told a London news conference on Olympic policing and security that the internal exile powers would be scrapped. "This is a very serious issue, making sure that we have the right tools and powers to deal with the people we need to take action with," she said. "When we looked at the replacement for control orders we worked closely with police and the Security Service."
She added that "robust" new powers, including limited curfew periods and powers to exclude suspects from specified areas would be put in place, with extra funds given to police and MI5. The Met will stage at least 10 events to test how government departments, police, emergency services and other organisations respond to a range of incidents.
