Transport police stop more Asians

Asians are now most likely to be searched on the transport systems

The number of Asian people stopped by British Transport Police (BTP) since the London bomb attacks has increased sharply, figures from the force show.

In the five weeks following 7 July, Asians accounted for 35% of people stopped, up from 16% in June.

People of Asian appearance were five times more likely than white people to be questioned and made up the greatest proportion of those stopped.

Commenting on the figures a spokesman denied any change in the policy.

After the attacks BTP's Chief Constable Ian Johnston had suggested that young men from certain ethnic groups were more likely to be stopped and searched.

But a police spokesman told the BBC News website: "This has always been predominantly intelligence-led, which means that it will target particular profiles of people, in particular places, depending on the information available at the time."

"There is also a random element to stop and search - this is to make the environment unpredictable and therefore more risky for a potential terrorist," the spokesman added.

Black figure unchanged

The BTP figures show between 7 Jul and 10 August the force carried out a total of 6,747 'stops' nationwide.

Most of them took place in London where police have powers under anti-terrorism laws to stop and search people without giving a reason. Nearly all of the 2,869 people stopped in July were male.

Five times as many white people were stopped by police in July than in the previous month but their proportion of the overall total dropped from 51% to 38% while the proportion of Asians nearly doubled from 16% to just under 30%.

However, in spite of fears expressed by some community groups last month that black men would also be subject to more scrutiny the proportion of black people questioned by transport police officers remained unchanged.

Remarks by Mr Johnston last month that as a result of the London bomb attacks stops "may be disproportionate when it comes to ethnic groups" and that police should not "waste time searching old white ladies" were initially supported by Home Office minister Hazel Blears.

However, Muslim and civil liberties groups both condemned the comments and Ms Blears later said she had "never, ever endorsed" the use of racial profiling.