Law council joins calls to abolish Australia’s powers to detain terrorist offenders to prevent future crimes

Peak legal body endorses findings by independent monitor that recommends scrapping continuing detention orders

• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

Australia’s peak lawyers body has urged the government to abolish “fraught” powers that allow terrorist offenders to be imprisoned so as to prevent possible crimes being committed in the future.

Last week, a damning report by Australia’s national security law watchdog recommended scrapping continuing detention orders (CDOs), which allow terrorist offenders to be imprisoned for three years on the basis of predicted crimes rather than for any crime they have committed.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup