Britain was expected to release eight terror suspects, regarded by the government as among the most dangerous in the country, as politicians continued to squabble on Friday over new terror legislation.

Britain was expected to release eight terror suspects, regarded by the government as among the most dangerous in the country, as politicians continued to squabble on Friday over new terror legislation.

A judge released one suspect, a 37-year-old Algerian referred to only as “A,” on bail late on Thursday and said he intended to free eight others soon.

They include Abu Qatada, a Syrian cleric who the government says was a spiritual mentor to Mohammed Atta, leader of the hijackers who staged the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The suspects will be electronically tagged and closely monitored in their homes but their imminent release on bail has nevertheless caused concern.

Britain’s most senior police officer Sir Ian Blair said their release would be “a grave threat to national security.”

The men, mostly north Africans and all Muslim, have been held in prison for up to three years without being charged or tried. Senior judges deemed their detention illegal late last year, prompting fresh appeals for their release.

They were arrested under powerful anti-terror legislation which Britain passed in the wake of Sept. 11. That legislation is due to expire on Sunday and politicians are locked in a bitter battle over new laws to replace it.

Prime Minister Tony Blair is trying to ram a bill through parliament before the old laws expire, but opponents from both left and right — many from within Blair’s Labour Party — say it is badly drafted or draconian.

They also say they have not had time to debate it properly and some are pushing for “a sunset clause” in the bill which would mean it would lapse later this year, allowing legislators to replace it with something better.

Blair has accused the opposition Conservative Party of being irresponsible by insisting on such changes.