More than half of the 1,126 people arrested under UK terrorism legislation have been released without any charge

New statistics showing more than half of the 1,126 people arrested under UK terrorism legislation have been released without any charge is a "cause of great concern," says the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHCR).

"It does not inspire confidence in those entrusted with our safety that less than 3.5 percent of those arrested under anti-terror laws are convicted in what are supposedly `intelligencelead' operations," said IHRC

Chairman Massoud Shadjareh. "We need to recognise that these are not just empty statistics but innocent human beings whose lives have been shattered by such heavyhanded and discriminatory policies," said Shadjareh.

The IHRC was responding to the first update on the government's official terrorism arrest figures in 18 months. This showed there had been only 40 terrorism-related convictions in the UK out of more than 1,100 arrests since the 9/11 attacks.

Shadjareh called for an immediate review of the anti-terror legislation, its implementation and its effects on safety, security and inter-community relations.

The anti-terror laws are so broad that what would normally be considered as relatively minor offences have been included in the 40 successful terror convictions, he said. The statistics include convictions of individuals for wearing badges bearing the logo of proscribed organisations related to the conflict in Northern Ireland.

Of the total arrests, only 117 were charged with terrorism offences only while another 104 were charged with terrorism and other criminal offences.

A further 186 were charged with other offences and 74 were handed over to the immigration authorities, while more than half were released without any charge.

The IHRC said that it was also concerned at the "heavy-handed tactics of the police in making such arrests which have already resulted in numerous allegations of police brutality.

"Homes and families have been destroyed, children have been traumatised and innocent people have been criminalised," the Londonbased centre said.

Liberty civil rights organisation expressed alarm at plans by the government to try to increase the detentions of terrorist suspects without charge to 90 days after doubling the period from 14 to 28 days just last year.

"Inevitably, more people are arrested than charged and more are charged than convicted, yet this is all the more reason to make sure that innocent people are not locked up for longer and longer periods in precharge detention," said the Liberty Director, Shami Chakrabarti.

Muslims, who have been the main victims of the disproportionate number of arrests, have often accused the police of using emergency antiterror power to carry out "fishing expeditions" in their communities.