Scotland's justice secretary has expressed deep concern at the number of people and vehicles searched by British Transport Police in Scotland.

 

More than 14,000 have been stopped and searched at train stations since July.

Kenny MacAskill told BBC Scotland he had anecdotal evidence that people going about their business had been "pulled aside and interrogated".

 

The authorities said the searches were carried out to make an attack on the railways as difficult as possible.

 

The stop and search powers had rarely been used before the terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport in June and, of those stopped at train stations, 12% were from ethnic minorities.

But the transport police, who are the responsibility of the UK government, said all searches were random.

 

Transport officers stopped 9,994 people and searched 4,636 vehicles at train stations across Scotland between 1 July and 14 December, according to the official figures.

They can do so at random, under anti-terrorism legislation.

 

By contrast, Scotland's eight police forces have stopped and searched just 84 people and 51 vehicles between them in 2007.

 

Mr MacAskill told BBC Scotland's Politics Show: "I think you have to get the balance right and it would certainly appear to me that things are out of kilter."

 

"Whether your forefathers fought at the Battle of Bannockburn or whether they've come from the Indian sub-continent, or south of the border, if you're behaving by the law, you're entitled to be treated with respect - not to be routinely stopped, harassed, and investigated.

 

The British Transport Police said the checks aimed to disrupt possible terrorist activity and provide visible reassurance to the travelling public.

 

A spokesman added: "The terrorist threat remains high nationally and it is important that the police and public alike remain vigilant against possible terrorist activity."

 

In 2006/07, British Transport Police officers carried out 30,000 stops throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

 

Source: BBC news

More than 14,000 have been stopped and searched at train stations since July.

 

This is outrageous frankly and completely heavy-handed... 14,000 S&Ses in just over FIVE MONTHS.... Oh, come on, for the whole country in an entire YEAR there's only 30.000. So almost 50% of searches is taking place in an area of the country that has only 3 million people living in it, this means that in proportion there's probably about FIVE TIMES as many searches being carried out in Scottish rail stations as in stations in LONDON ffs.... And it's not as if Scotland has very many mainline stations anyway....

 

I'm going back to Scotland over the New Year period, how utterly ironic it would be if I got bloody stopped and searched in sodding DUNDEE when I never have been at all in London...... :lol: :lol:

in 6 months scotland racked up half of the S&Ses :huh:

 

that ain't on. isn't the population of scotland 5million??? :unsure:

 

Plus, i've never seen em at Dundee.

that ain't on. isn't the population of scotland 5million??? :unsure:

 

Plus, i've never seen em at Dundee.

 

More like just over 4 million....

 

Good to know it aint happening in Dundee, but I'm probably gonna be stopping over in Edinburgh on my way up, I've got a 20 minute window between trains, woe betide any fukkin' copper who makes me miss my connection.... <_<

It's about 5.1 million I think. ^_^ But still, something ain't quite right with those search numbers.

It's about 5.1 million I think. ^_^ But still, something ain't quite right with those search numbers.

 

When you consider that the population of the Greater London area alone is over 7 million (and this aint even taking into account Wales and large metropolitan areas such as Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Liverpool, etc..) and then you look at the S&S statistics in Scotland, frankly to say something isn't right about those numbers is a total understatement... Frankly, it's outrageous that in an area of the country where there is only 10% of the total population that around HALF of the total number of Stop and Searches for 2006/07 for the country as a whole is taking place...

 

especially considering it says in the past 6 months