Two men who were arrested in major counter-terrorism raids in the North West but never charged have won their appeals against deportation.
Pakistanis Abid Naseer and Ahmed Faraz Khan, both 23, who were detained by police as part of Operation Pathway in Liverpool and Manchester in April last year, took their cases to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in London. The commission upheld their appeals on Tuesday.
A third man detained in the raids, Shoaib Khan, 31, who is already back in Pakistan, won his appeal against exclusion. But two other men already back in Pakistan, Abdul Wahab Khan, 27, and Tariq Ur Rehman, 38, had their appeals against exclusion rejected.
Commenting on the Siac ruling, Home Secretary Theresa May said: “Protecting the public is the Government’s top priority. We are disappointed that the court has ruled that Abid Naseer and Ahmad Faraz Khan should not be deported to Pakistan, which we were seeking on national security grounds.
“As the court agreed, they are a security risk to the UK. We are now taking all possible measures to ensure they do not engage in terrorist activity.”
At the time of the raids, police and the security services said the men were part of a major plot but there was not enough evidence to charge them so they were ordered to be deported.
An earlier hearing was told Naseer, the alleged plot ringleader, was the author of a series of emails allegedly exchanged with a member of al Qaida. The emails referred to a “nikah”, or wedding, that MI5 said was a coded reference to a planned attack.
Lawyers for Naseer said the emails were entirely innocent. All the men rejected the accusation that they were involved in a terrorist plot.
MI5 was forced to swoop early after former Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Bob Quick accidentally showed secret documents with details of the plan to photographers outside Downing Street.
Neither Naseer nor Ahmed Faraz Khan were present for the ruling.
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There you are boys. You're very welcome to stay. The UK is still a joke around the world.
Unbelievable!!
Are we fighting terrorism or not?The previous Government said that our troops were in Afghanistan to 'keep the streets of Britain safe',yet here we have it in our own back yard and we can't deal with it.
So what's the point of our boys being in Afghanistan?
A complete farce all in the name of Human Rights.
There you are boys. You're very welcome to stay. The UK is still a joke around the world.
PW, Manchester
Justice done - makes a change. I mean, if going to a wedding is a terrorist offence we would all be locked up. But of course, PW, Manchester doesn't care that these people are obviously neither illegally in the UK nor guilty of any crime. I would hate to live in your head mate (or the coutnry wou would like to live in).
[quote name=salfordrat]There you are boys. You're very welcome to stay. The UK is still a joke around the world.
PW, Manchester
Justice done - makes a change. I mean, if going to a wedding is a terrorist offence we would all be locked up. But of course, PW, Manchester doesn't care that these people are obviously neither illegally in the UK nor guilty of any crime. I would hate to live in your head mate (or the coutnry wou would like to live in).[/quote]
Ah, I get it. MI5 are just on a random witch hunt then? It's a shame their fairytale investigation was disturbed by an incompetent Metropolitan Police official.
People who know more than you and I are saying they are a threat to national security. Should I go along with yourself?
Ae name of law and order really. Nothing to do with Human Rights. Perhaps a farcein the name of sloppy policework, or in the name of an irresponsible media. But not really a farce in the name of human rights. Either you want to live in a democracy, where laws are made and upheld, or you don't.
Every country in the world has the right to deport any foreign national that is considered a threat to national security. Why then is it in namby pamby spineless Britain that we don't. Although the court agreed that they are all a risk to national security they are stil allowed to stay. Its about time that the Special Immigration Appeals Commission where people like these five make expensive appeals at the expense of the British tax payer is disbanded to be replaced by the security services and the courts who will decide who and who not should be deported and without appeal. Lets hope the new governmet gets a grip of this problem and as soon as possible.
I don’t know or care if these men are guilty or not. That is not the “real” issue in this story IMHO. This case shows that even though someone is “recognised” as a security risk to the people of the UK, their rights come above that of the people of the UK. How skewed and ridiculous is that.
People who know more than you and me say a lot of things. History proves that they are not always honest, just because they are paid to be. This was a major embarassment and so they try to deport those who have been found innocent for crimes in a BRITISH court of law. In cases overseen by people who know more than you and me. As far as going along with me - you can if you want. I would suggest you try thinking for yourself though. I do.
A right let down by Theresa May by not appealing against the decision! She had the chance of a real statement of intent on behalf of the new government but she blew it " Meet the new boss,the same as the old boss" ---- The Who. If they would have been deported it just may of deterred other nutters who are contemplating another atrocity and I hope that the immigration panel members don't have any friends or relatives killed or mutilated when it does happen!
Salfordrat, they were not found innocent by any court as they were never charged due to lack of evidence...Could not make it up.
They could just have been quietly deported ages ago but for polotics and propoganda.
The mainstay of British justice is innocent until proven guilty. These men weren't even sent to trial. Would people here be happy to see our justice system skewed?
What do people think the terrorists main aim is? Terror attacks are their method of getting what they want, not their main aim. Their killing us is a tool they use.
Their main aims are to change our society, to make us less free than we are currently, to induce fear into our lives. And from the looks of a lot of posts on here they're succeeding.
If we make special cases for terrorists or those accused or terror acts then we are playing right into their hands, you can bet there's some people out in Pakistan and Afghanistan rubbing their grubby hands together with glee over this, I bet they'd rather they were deported than they weren't because that would mean we are departing from our norm, changing the rules just for them, providing them with more recruits.
Type your comment he...The two remaining in this country it is reported are going to be made subject to control orders which will severely curtail their liberty. lets hope that they get the message and remove themselves from the country. It is also being reported that one of the main reasons that these particular two were not deported is the fear that they would be "tortured" by the Pakastani security services if they were sent back to that country. The third person who won his appeal against deportation has already gone back to Pakastan. So will they be "tortured" or not and if so what about their human rights I hear the do gooders screaming. Why should the people of this country give a damn what happens to these people in Pakastan when they couldn't give a damn what would have happened to the people of this country if they hadn't of been stopped before carrying out their planned terrorist attack on Manchester.
just shows what a soft touch the UK is. must be a laughing stock to the rest of the world. no other country in the world would have allowed these people to stay. what a joke!
what message does that send to police and other agencies? go through all the effort and cost to arrest potential terrorists and then the judge sets them free. what's the point? anywhere else in the world they would have been deported.
I still think innocent until proven guilty is a prinipal of law well worth keeping, no matter how much those in power try to scare us with the terrorist bogeyman
[quote name=Justified True Belief , - ...]I don’t know or care if these men are guilty or not. That is not the “real” issue in this story IMHO. This case shows that even though someone is “recognised” as a security risk to the people of the UK, their rights come above that of the people of the UK. How skewed and ridiculous is that.[/quote]
The thing to remember is that these mens rights to be presumed innocent until evidence is presented in court to prove guilt, is the same as everyone else's right. Once you start taking in away from one group you happen not to like it is not long until people you do start disapearing in the night into the hands of secret courts and gulags
citycentre; read the quality press and listen to the television media re this case and then come back again and recomment.
Yet another joke? the very country that these people hate are actually protecting them? we are the idiots of the planet.."Wake up britain we are at war" we need to get out of the EU before we either go bancrupt or we have civil war on our streets......WAKE UP.Who really cares what happens to these hatemongers. civilised society dont need these hatemongers and it dosnt help the decent muslims we have in britain.
citycentre, manchester – You do not alter my belief, and I believe you miss my point. I did not say inprison these men. My point was that guests in this country are here at our invite and that invite can (and should) be withdrawn at any time and no explanation should be required.
But there is an explanation, they are a danger to national security and should be deported.
[quote name=The Vermin Slayer, Everywhere]But there is an explanation, they are a danger to national security and should be deported.[/quote]
When that has been proven in a court of law then I'd agree, imprisoned first in the UK then deported. That has not happened and until it does we cannot lower ourselves to their standards, if we do then the terrorists win.
What joke. Any country should be able to exclude any foreign national without giving a reason.
The special Immigration Appeals ommision should be abolished.
salfordrat
do u lie for the fun of it
" you can if you want. I would suggest you try thinking for yourself though. I do"
And look at the drivel that leads to on your behalf