Britain considers national ID cards

LONDON - The British government said Tuesday it wants to introduce compulsory identity cards to protect against illegal immigration, welfare fraud and terrorism - though implementation is years away.

Home Secretary David Blunkett said the government would introduce the scheme after building a national database of biometric information using fingerprints, iris scans and facial recognition technology.

"An ID card scheme will help tackle the crime and serious issues facing the U.K., particularly illegal working, immigration abuse, ID fraud, terrorism and organized crime," Blunkett said.

The Home Office said "using multiple identities is one of the most common practices of those involved in terrorist activity."

But the issue of identity cards has split Prime Minister Tony Blair's government, with some ministers reportedly claiming that they are too expensive and threaten civil liberties.

Britain has not had compulsory identity cards for ordinary citizens since shortly after World War II. Such ID cards are mandatory in several Western European countries, including Belgium and Germany.

Blair has endorsed the idea in principle, but his office last week said it would take years to resolve the many complex issues surrounding the plan.

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