This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/951
Anti terror moves to depart foreign clerics will be test of UK resolve
August 11, 2005
MIM: According to UK law which was changed after pressure from those concerned with terrorist civil liberties the ten cannot be detained in prison and are not under home surveillance which begs the question as to how much litigation and time will elapse before they will actually be removed from British soil.
http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=759681
LONDON, Aug 11 (KUNA) -- Ten foreign nationals who are believed to pose a "threat to national security" were Thursday detained by police to be deported, British Home Secretary Charles Clarke said.
The BBC said the ten people have not so far been named but it understood that they include the radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada The Home Secretary said in a statement "In accordance with my powers to deport individuals whose presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good for reasons of national security, the Immigration Service has today detained ten foreign nationals who I believe pose a threat to national security." "They will be held in secure prison service accommodation and I shall not disclose their names." "Following months of diplomatic work we now have got reason to believe that we can get the necessary assurances from the countries to which we will return the deportees so that they will not be subject to torture or ill-treatment," he added.
Abu Qatada, described as al-Qaeda's spiritual ambassador in Europe, is believed to be among the ten held today, the British media said.
Qatada, 44, a Jordanian father of five who has lived in the UK for 12 years, is currently the subject of a control order at his London home.
Control orders were imposed after the British Government's policy of detaining foreign terror suspects without charge was ruled unlawful by the House of Lords.
Some of the other people detained today were also subject to control orders, sources told the media.
Today's detentions follow the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Jordan yesterday ensuring deportees would not be mistreated on their return.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair also had "constructive conversations" with authorities in Algeria and Lebanon last week over guaranteeing the safety of deportees.
In all, Britain is looking for assurances from 10 countries, a Home Office spokeswoman said.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said "We can confirm that officers from the Metropolitan Police this morning supported the Immigration Service as they served notices under the UK Immigration Act at a number of addresses across the British capital." A number of individuals were detained by the Immigration Service and police assisted with the transfer of these individuals into the care of the Prison Service, she added.
In his statement, the Home Secretary said "The Immigration Act 1971 gives me powers to deport individuals and to detain them pending deportation." "The circumstances of our national security has changed." "It is vital that we act against those who threaten it," he added.
Last Friday, the Prime Minister set out a 12-point plan to crack down on terrorists and their supporters in the wake of the London bombings.
These included tougher new rules to deport people from the United Kingdom if their presence was "not conducive to the public good." The Home Secretary already has extensive powers to deport non-British citizens, with no right of appeal.
But Blair said the powers would be extended.
Under the Human Rights Act, the Government cannot deport people who face torture or execution in their home countries.
The agreement with Jordan was designed to ensure that Qatada could be lawfully deported.
Control orders were set up by Clarke last March to replace earlier laws which allowed foreign terror suspects to be detained without charge or trials which were criticised by the House of Lords for not complying with human rights laws.
It is thought 11 people are currently subject to control orders including Qatada and Mahmoud Suliman Ahmed Abu Rideh, 33, who is also Jordanian.
------------------
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,22989-1730209_2,00.html | |||
| |||
His followers insist he is one of the most formidable and respected Koranic scholars of his generation.
His prayer meetings were attended by Zacarias Moussaoui. the so-called 20th hijacker. He is also alleged to have encouraged young British Muslims to attend terrorist training camps abroad.
Mr Justice Collins, President of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, described Abu Qatada in an earlier judgement as being "at the centre in the United Kingdom of terrorist activities" associated with al-Qaeda. "He is a truly dangerous individual." www.timesonline.co.uk/debate |
This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/951