London: Britain faced "severe" threats as security forces are currently investigating 200 networks involved in hatching 30 deadly terror plots, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has said.

Smith said the threat from Islamic fanatics was growing so fast that police would be unable to cope within a year unless they were given new powers to detain suspects for longer period.

"There are 2,000 individuals who are being monitored. There are 200 networks involved and 30 active plots," she said.

"We now face a threat level that is severe. It's actually growing," she told the News of the World. "The danger has increased over the past two years. Since the beginning of 2007, there have been 57 people convicted on terrorist plots."

The Home Secretary is currently facing a Labour rebellion over controversial plans to extend the time suspects can be held without charge to 42 days from the current 28-day limit.

The Tony Blair government had suffered a damaging defeat in 2005 over plans to extend the limit to 90 days.

"We can't wait for an attack to succeed and then rush in new powers," said Smith.

"Because we now understand the scale of what is being plotted, the police have to step in earlier which means they need more time to put evidence together," she said.

"We task the police and the security agencies with protecting us. Frankly, if they say to me it's getting more difficult and we need more time to investigate thoroughly, it is my duty to provide them with the tools they need," Smith said.

She also revealed that in  2001, at the time of the 9/11 bombings, Britain's anti-terror cops seized and analysed just one computer and no computer discs.

Yet by last year their haul had risen to a staggering 400 computers and 8,000 computer discs containing billions of vital items of data.

At the same time, the records held by Scotland Yard's anti-terror force have soared from 69,000 files four years ago to 200,000 this year, Smith said.

She said, "There is a massive increase in the way they (terrorists) are using technology and encrypting information. So it takes time to get the evidence you need to charge somebody."

Smith said she would announce a new deal she struck with the Pakistani government allowing moderate Islamic clerics to come over to Britain from Pakistan to help British imams combat extremism in the Islamic communities.

"The vast majority of British Muslims have a Pakistani heritage. If we work with the government there we can win the arguments. We need to do more to tackle those places where radicalisation is developing in prisons, schools, higher education so that people are getting the right messages about what it means to be a British Muslim," she said.

Source : PTI