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CCTV, ID CARDS AND 42 DAYS "PROTECT US"

Today's terrorists would only be beaten by 21st century solutions such as ID cards, Gordon Brown claimed yesterday.

Defending the scheme, along with 42 day detention, DNA registers and CCTV, he warned authorities could not afford to bury their heads in the sand.

"New technology is giving us modern means by which we can discharge these duties, but just as we need to employ these modern means to protect people from new threats, we must at the same time do more to guarantee our liberties," he said.

"Facing these modern challenges, it is our duty to write a new chapter in our country's story - one in which we both protect and promote our security and liberty, two equally proud traditions."

The prime minister was defending his security policies nearly a week after he scraped the 42-day law through the Commons. Security was "one of the greatest challenges in the modern world" he told a think tank, adding 2,000 terror suspects were being monitored in Britain. Mr Brown also pointed out terrorism was not the only problem society was facing.

"Organised crime has changed beyond recognition from the days of the Krays," he added.

"No longer confined to a neighbourhood or city but involving networks spanning the world - threatening lives and feeding conflict and instability."

The speech came days after David Davis stood down as Conservative MP to fight a by-election on civil liberties.

Meanwhile, Phil Booth of pressure group No2ID said Mr Brown's speech showed "he simply doesn't get it", and Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti added," The government doesn't want emergency powers, but a permanent state of emergency."