Britain to tighten checks on immigrants

LONDON: Britain is to expand checks on skilled migrant workers seeking to enter the country amid fears that the failed bombings were organised by foreign doctors, new Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday.

The announcement came as a senior British detective headed for Australia to question one of eight suspects held over failed attacks in London and Glasgow, as detectives continued to reconstruct the pieces of the bomb plot.

"It is vitally important the message is sent out to the rest of the world that we will stand strong, steadfast and united in the face of terror," said Brown, who succeeded Tony Blair last week.

Britain remains on maximum alert following a failed double car bombing in London on Friday, which was followed by a fiery car bomb attack on Glasgow airport on Saturday.

At least six of the suspects are believed to be doctors, including a Jordanian neurosurgeon and an Iraqi doctor. One suspect was detained in Brisbane as he prepared to leave the country.

The medical link has raised questions about how they got jobs as doctors in Britain, where around 75,000 of the 24,000 registered doctors were trained abroad, including 1,985 in Iraq and 184 in Jordan.

As well as expanding background checks on skilled workers, Brown said Britain would widen a worldwide "watch list" of potential terrorists to help warn other countries.

Britain was studying the use of phone-tap evidence in terrorism cases, he said. "I hope that right across the House (of Commons) as right across the country there can be unity in our determination to fight terrorism," he added.