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| Britain |
| UK draws up list of top 50 bloodthirsty holy men |
| 2005-08-28 |
| The security service MI5 has drawn up a list of the country's 50 "preachers of hate" who face expulsion from Britain under tough new anti-terror rules. Ten foreign nationals on the list have already been detained, pending deportation. MI5 has now passed a dossier of evidence to the government on other extremists who are considered to pose a threat. Under measures announced last week by Charles Clarke, the home secretary, foreign nationals may be deported if they create "fear, distrust or division" with the intention of encouraging terrorism. The government also plans to return suspects to countries which are known to torture detainees — providing it obtains assurances that the deportees will be safe. Any expulsions are likely to face costly challenges funded by the taxpayer. However, Clarke is drawing up plans to deport individuals before they lodge appeals. It will mean that suspects are deported and will have to fight any subsequent legal cases from their home countries, as is already the case in France. However, they are still likely to be eligible for legal aid. Further measures to restrict the preaching of hard-line foreign imams will include their vetting by a panel of Britain's Islamic leaders. A separate panel of Muslim leaders, appointed by the Home Office and headed by Lord Ahmed, is likely to impose a standard qualification for all British-trained imams. The list drawn up by the security services is understood to include Mohammad al-Masari, the Saudi dissident, Saad al-Fagih, a Saudi alleged to have links to Al Qaeda, and Yasser al-Siri, the Egyptian dissident. They all live in London. Al-Masari runs a London-based website depicting beheadings and suicide bombings in Iraq. The US Treasury has said that Al Fagih's website, Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia, has been used by Al Qaeda to communicate although he strongly denies any involvement in terrorism. Al-Siri is a former leader of Islamic Jihad, the Eyptian fundamentalist group blamed for the assassination of Anwar Sadat, Egypt's president, in 1981. He denies any links to terrorism and says the authorities will find it "impossible" to deport him. The government has previously been unable to deport some foreign nationals suspected of terror links because their home countries are known to torture terrorist suspects. Ministers are now obtaining "diplomatic assurances" from countries including Jordan, Egypt and Algeria, that those deported will be treated humanely. Tony Blair is particularly enthusiastic about the new agreements. In past negotiations with Egypt to ensure that it would refrain from torture, he dismissed the idea of seeking too many commitments, writing: "This is a bit much. Why do we need all these things?" His comments were revealed last year when Hani Youssef, an Egyptian, claimed that he had been unfairly detained by the British government during its failed attempt to deport him. The documents also revealed that the government's own experts doubted that the courts would accept these non-torture assurances. However, Blair is thought to be confident that the agreements will be upheld because independent observers will have regular access to any suspects who are deported. The government has already removed several failed asylum seekers to Algeria. Although France is also subject to the European convention on human rights, it has regularly expelled foreign nationals supected of terrorism links. A French interior ministry official said: "We know that Britain is going through a reflective phase, but in France we are not asking too many questions." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #3 However, Clarke is drawing up plans to deport individuals before they lodge appeals. It will mean that suspects are deported and will have to fight any subsequent legal cases from their home countries, as is already the case in France. However, they are still likely to be eligible for legal aid. At least the Brits got rid of half the PC. But legal aid? Lawyuh subsidy. They could tie up the courts for years. Further measures to restrict the preaching of hard-line foreign imams will include their vetting by a panel of Britain's Islamic leaders. A separate panel of Muslim leaders, appointed by the Home Office and headed by Lord Ahmed, is likely to impose a standard qualification for all British-trained imams. Fox vetting the chicken coop. Sounds like the Brits need martial law before the Islamic terrorists totally infiltrate. Unfreakin' believable. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-08-28 14:27 |
| #2 Where do these bloodthirsty holymen go with everyone is kicking them out of their country? Might be best to send them to Alan straight away-- once they have their 3-H, that is. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-08-28 02:57 |
| #1 they are still likely to be eligible for legal aid. You've got to be kidding. We need the 3H enema (high hot and hell of alot) here in America to rid itself of these folks too! |
| Posted by: Jan 2005-08-28 02:22 |