Yard 'delayed charging terrorism suspects until end of 28-day limit' despite having evidence earlier

Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, the Shadow Security Minister, claims senior officers told Conservative Party chiefs they had collected enough evidence before the deadline to accuse the men of plotting to blow up transatlantic flights.

Despite this, the pair were charged only at the end of the 28th day.

The claims come as Labour attempts to extend the amount of time suspects can be detained without charge.

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In last Tuesday's Queen's Speech, Gordon Brown included a new Terrorism Bill that would increase the limit beyond 28 days.

However, campaigners have expressed fears that police could abuse the power and pointed out that most suspects have been charged well within the time limit.

Shami Chakrabarti, head of civil rights group Liberty, said: "We may never know if people are charged as promptly as they could be.

"Police should not be campaigning for more time when questions are being raised over the timing of when suspects are being charged."

Discussing the alleged airline bomb plot at a counter-terrorism seminar in July, Dame Pauline said: "We [the Conservatives] have been told by police officers that those two last charges could have come a day or two earlier. For that reason we don't think the evidence is there to extend the 28-day limit."

Conservative sources later revealed Dame Pauline was referring to Don Stewart-Whyte, 21, from High Wycombe, and 25-year-old Mohammed Usman Saddique, who worked in Walthamstow, East London.

Both were arrested last August over their alleged involvement in a terrorist plot to detonate liquid explosives on planes travelling from Heathrow to America.

They were charged on September 7 with preparing acts of terrorism, 28 days after their initial arrests.

The pair – only two of six people to be held for the full detention period – are now awaiting trial.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "The decision to charge an individual is taken by the Crown Prosecution Service and, in some circumstances involving terroristrelated offences, with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

"Our investigations are carried out strictly in accordance with existing legislation and we refute any suggestion we have acted inappropriately."

A CPS spokeswoman said: "It is nonsense to suggest we deliberately keep people without charging them.

"Once we are satisfied we have sufficient evidence to charge somebody, we advise the police to charge them."