The European Court of Human Rights has upheld a complaint today against a British anti - terrorism law that
allows police officers to search individuals without firm grounds for suspicion.
The judgement supported two British citizens who were stopped and searched at a demonstration near an arms fair in London in 2003. The Court ruled the fact that officers could act on simple intuition left too much discretion to police.
In accordance with a 2000 law , police can issue an order for anyone to be stopped and searched without reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing if it is judged "expedient for the prevention of acts of terrorism".
The court said in a statement there was " a clear risk of arbitrariness in granting such broad discretion to the police officer".
The British government will appeal the decision.
