EU to get sweeping anti-terror powers

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern last night won agreement from his fellow EU leaders to introduce sweeping powers to combat terrorism in Europe.

The Declaration on Combating Terrorism was adopted by leaders at the summit meeting of the EU Council in Brussels last night, reflecting the union's first comprehensive response to the Madrid atrocities.

The declaration will give security and intelligence agencies extensive powers to arrest terrorist suspects across Europe and to hold and exchange information on phone calls, emails and internet usage.