Plastic bags to be put over Birmingham 'terror cameras'


Plastic bags to be put over Birmingham 'terror cameras'



A consultation will be held over the use of the cameras




Bags are to be put over dozens of surveillance cameras in parts of Birmingham with large Muslim populations, after local objections.
Safer Birmingham Partnership (SBP) said 218 cameras were put up, including hidden ones, mainly in the Washwood Heath and Sparkbrook districts.
The cameras were financed through a counter-terrorism fund, but the SBP said they would tackle all crime.



Councillor Salma Yaqoob said people had lost faith in the authorities.
The Respect Party councillor for Sparkbrook said: "In terms of reassurance it's going to take a lot more than plastic bags.
"The residents have lost faith with the authorities for their sneaky handling of the way they went about this and will not be reassured until they have been told the locations of the hidden cameras too."
SBP - a partnership of the police, the city council and other agencies - said 72 cameras had been placed covertly but that they would not be covered by the plastic bags.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/b...m/10337961.stm