Man held under new terror laws

Doctors at Britain's highest security psychiatric hospital have criticised the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, for his treatment of a dying and mentally disturbed Palestinian who is being detained under new anti-terror laws.

Psychiatrists at Broadmoor accused Mr Blunkett of "unprecedented political interference" for ignoring their advice and ordering them to take charge of Mahmoud Abu Rideh, who is confined to a wheelchair after going on hungerstrike.

They claim he poses no threat to the public and should be placed closer to his family at a hospital with less severe security measures. But despite receiving lengthy medical evidence, Mr Blunkett has ordered his continued detention at Broadmoor.

Mr Rideh, 30, was arrested in January after the introduction of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act, which allowed the detention of people identified by MI5 as threats to national security.