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MPs disturbed over 'unjust' deportations in terror row

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Published Date: 24 April 2009
By Gerri Peev
THE deportation of students arrested in connection with a suspected terrorist plot is "disturbing and gravely unjust", two Labour MPs have warned.
Mohammad Sarwar, the Glasgow Central MP and chairman of the Scottish affairs committee, and Birmingham Perry Bar MP Khalid Mahmood warned the government against removing the men whom it has failed to charge.

In a letter to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, the MPs said the raids and deportation would inflict "irreparable damage" to race relations. Efforts to win the "hearts and minds" of British Muslims had been undermined by the raids, they said.

Apart from one British citizen, all the released men are Pakistani nationals and have been handed over to the immigration authorities to be deported, according to Downing Street, on "national security" grounds. They had been in custody since 8 April, when armed police swooped on locations across north-west England.

The MPs said they had been urged to intervene by members of the Pakistani community, who "very understandably feel let down by the security forces".



The full article contains 178 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 24 April 2009 12:52 AM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Terrorism in the UK
 
1

,

24/04/2009 00:22:57
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
2

truthsleuth,

24/04/2009 00:38:47
The police had reason to believe these men were planning some terrorist act
The police knew they had to stop them if they were.

I would rather believe the police of my country than the innocent pleadings of possible terrorists that way they get hurt and not innocent Britons.

Better they be sent back to Pakistan NOW
If they are innocent then we will have to apologise.
3

,

24/04/2009 02:20:20
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
4

Jason,

Japan 24/04/2009 08:10:32
"I would rather believe the police of my country...”
Now that really is refreshingly naive.
Haven't the deaths of Jean Charles de Menezes and Ian Tomlinson taught you anything?
How do you know when a cop is lying?
His mouth is open.

5

The Former Mr. Angry,

Perth 24/04/2009 09:47:32
Is it not the case that the students in question were here on falsely-represented visas? In that case there should be no argument - they must be deported immediately. The protagonists for keeping them here are inevitably Muslim. This should not stop the authorities from executing their duty when there has been a flagrant breach of immigration rules and suspected involvement in terrorist activities does not enhance their case one jot. The MPs concerned should be more concerned with upholding the rule of law which is what they are there for.
6

Miss H,

24/04/2009 11:24:27
2 Your level of naivety is scarey.

None of us will ever actually know what has happened here. What is clear is that there is no evidence to support a charge.

However given the media coverage - and the implication that this was some kind of huge terrorist plot - it would be politically embarrassing to simply release these men without charge and let them resume their studies.

So they will be deported. But let's be honest and acknowledge that they will be deported for political reasons essentially, rather than because there is any evidence against them.
7

sam the god,

24/04/2009 12:29:06
well done the police and security forces
8

Miss H,

24/04/2009 13:09:58
10 Of course I have no idea what happened - and neither do you.

All we know is that a number of people were detained and then released without charge.

It is not usual to deport people who have been arrested and released without charge.

The reason why these guys are going to be deported is because of the publicity which the case has attracted and because of the resulting political pressure.

If they had been arrested for anything other than terrorism none of us would know anything about it. And they were only arrested because some policeman walked into a meeting carrying documents which were capable of being photographed. That's what sparked the whole thing off.

For all we know they just arrested the first 12 names that appeared on the list of Pakistani students at that particular university. That is the kind of mistake that gets made when the police are placed under political pressure - and why we should avoid politicising the police.
9

Miss H,

24/04/2009 13:12:30
12 hallo? If they have been involved in planning bombings then breaking their student permits is the least of it - they have broken the law and should be jailed.
10

Geomac 1,

Scotland 24/04/2009 14:52:46
How mnay of these guys were actually attending educational courses??If they are judged to be a threat to national security, then send them home - no ifs, ands or buts.
I somehow doubt that they would have been arrsted had there been NO evidence against them - simply not enough evidence to convict.
They're better in Pakistan than here with all the doubts hanging over them
11

Geomac 1,

Scotland 24/04/2009 15:00:38
#15 Danielrober

Just where exactly did you get your allegation that "99.99% of British Asian community would have nothing to do with such extremists"?
How does that square with recent poll data showing:

16% of British Muslims acceopt suicide attackes on the West

13% of young British Muslims admire Al Qaeda
12

Geomac 1,

Kinross 24/04/2009 16:34:40
#19 danielrober

Don't get me wrong I too know Asians and have tutored many of their kids (science and maths) and they are fine people.
I was merely challenging your 99.9% claim. There is no question that the majority of British Muslims are here for all the right reasons - better life, away from oppression/Sharia law etc
I totally agree with you saying that those who don't like it here can go to a country where their needs cann be better met. It does sound to me that those 12 arrested don't like it here - surely you agre there must be some foundation to their arrest? British police generally do not do such things on a whim - unlike many other countries!!
I'm truly sorry to hear about you and your partner's hassles - that simply should not be. I was raised in the countryside and was not aware of what a Catholic was until I went to Uni in Glasgow and boy was I educated and disappointed (even angered) as such nonsense between prods and catholics
13

Eric D,

24/04/2009 17:09:34
Ironic that Sarwar is resigning as an MP at the next election due to death threats to him from 'extreme elements' in his own 'community'.

No. 9 - You clearly didn't read the carefully worded press statement. The police said they "could not secure a proper case within the allocated custodial time limit" this is NOT exactly a ringing endorsement of their activities, merely a technical point. Also they handed them over to border control, who will ultimately decide on their future as perthe norm in such cases.

The real issue is Zanulabs abandonment of our borders - these people and many of their compatriates should never have been admitted in the first place and for that the politicians that imported terrorism to this country are culpable - Blair,Straw,Blunkett,Brown and McConnel and Salmond for their complicity. When historians look back at the origins of islamic terrorism in the UK these are the names that will pop-up.

14

Geomac 1,

Kinross 24/04/2009 17:37:46
#21 Danielrober

You're a star! I learned the stats rule a long time ago! There are always folks on here who are stats wizards - hence my file on same!
Glad to hear that all's well with partner and kids. Best defence against the bigots and racists is silence and turning your back - I had a similar experience when I was working in Iran.
15

Geomac 1,

Kinross 24/04/2009 17:40:07
#22 eric D - spot on my man
16

Miss H,

24/04/2009 19:45:39
16 Judges by whom? Not by a judge.

Perhaps you need to go back to school and learn how the justice system works.

Police arrest people. They do not try them nor do they judge them. It's a bit worrying that so many people don't seem to know that.
17

Miss H,

24/04/2009 19:47:54
22 Really? I thought he was standing down because he is wants to shoe-horn his son into the seat. His son is the Labour candidate, you do know that?
18

SOS,

Atlanta 28/04/2009 23:45:51
A few ground facts here....The Pakistani students were arrested on the suspicion of being responsible for a ``terror plot'' - and this was found to be a false alarm. Remember the non existent WMDs in Iraq that were the pretext to an illegal war that killed tens of thousands ? Well this is similar to that. The students in question were found NOT GUILTY, read INNOCENT of any wrongdoing. And yet they are slated to be deported notwithstanding the lack of evidence against them. This is a travesty and human rights organizations, and yes, the local Muslim community are within their rights, and morally and legally right to question this gross injustice.

Just what part of ``Innocent until proven guilty'' do supporters of the UK government's actions not understand ?

 

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