Richard Ford, Home Correspondent
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Two terror suspects labelled a danger to Britain’s security will be freed from jail within days after a judge ruled that they could be tortured or subjected to a show trial if sent back home to Libya.
The ruling also disclosed that a map marked with the flightpath of Birmingham International Airport had been found in a car parked at the home of one of the men.
The landmark judgment deals a blow to Tony Blair’s Memorandum of Understanding with North African and Middle Eastern states, which allowed the Government to deport suspected terrorists without breaching human rights laws. A third of the terror suspects the Government plans to deport are Libyan.
The men, known only as DD and AS, will be released on bail next week while John Reid, the Home Secretary, seeks permission to appeal against the decision by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission.
Thirteen stringent conditions, including a 12-hour curfew, ban on access to the internet and mobile phones, will be imposed on both men.
Yesterday’s ruling said that the markings on the map of Birmingham airport “might have been for reconnaissance purposes but might have a wholly innocent explanation”. It pointed out that DD had made no comment on the map.
Mr Justice Ouseley, chairman of the commission, said that there was a real risk that the European Convention on Human Rights would be breached if the two men were returned to Libya. He said that the ruling regime might not be able to resist the temptation of interrogating the men and that assurances of a fair trial could not be taken at face value.
However, the ruling did identify the men as a threat to national security. It revealed that DD, 32, was the brother-in-law of two terrorists: Serhane Fakhet, the suspected mastermind of the 2004 Madrid train bombings in which 191 people died; and Mustapha Maymouni, who was jailed for 18 years for his part in the 2003 Casablanca bombings in which 45 people died.
“DD’s links to Maymouni and Fakhet are not mere misfortune or coincidence. We believe from experience that such family relationships with like-minded people add to contacts, cover and security,” it said. “We are entirely satisfied that DD is a real and direct threat to the national security of the UK.”
A website discovered on a DVD at DD’s home included reference to “martyrs”, “jihad” and “virtuous warriors” and a song entitled “I am a terrorist”.
DD, who came to Britain with his wife in January 2004, was also a leading member of the al-Qaeda-linked group Libyan Islamic Fighting, which had attempted to overthrow Colonel Gaddafi, the Libyan leader. He has been held in detention since October 2005.
The ruling said that AS, who is thought to be 27, was an Islamic extremist. He was involved with a “serious terrorist group” based in Milan that referred to a “football game” as a code for their terror plot. In September 2002 one member of the group was recorded saying: “The game is ready . . . We will win, always victorious.”
According to his asylum claim, AS fled Libya into Egypt in 1997, and then travelled to Saudi Arabia and Syria before being smuggled into Britain in 2002. The Home Office rejects parts of his story and says he spent time in Italy and the Netherlands and travelled to Britain on a false passport. He was arrested in May 2002.
The Home Office said that it was “very disappointed” with the ruling and opposed giving the men bail on the grounds that they would abscond. Mr Justice Mitting said that keeping them in detention after they had won their appeal against deportation was “on the cusp of legality”. He also thought that the chances of a successful appeal were slim.
Memorandums of Understanding are a key part of the Government’s strategy to deal with foreign terror suspects who cannot be prosecuted in British courts.
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If Judges uphold the law then they should be accountable for the succeeding misdeeds .
lost hope, sydney,
When I read an article like this it depresses me to see that the human rights of the terrorists in question come before the poor innocents who get caught up in their wretched 'explosive' activities. This is a prime example of over thirty years of liberalism eroding the rights of our national security and the rights of our innocent law abiding citizens. Thanks Cherie Booth and all you other human rights fanatics!!!
J Hill, London , UK
So basically the judiciary is interpreting that the human rights of these 2 undesirables outweigh the rights of the public (who also, by the way, pay the taxes which will in turn pay for the absurd bail conditions, which will no doubt be broken immediately). No doubt they will say that they are merely implementing the law, but our entire social fabric is now completely crippled by PC-ness, and a totally unbalanced view of Human Rights, which is the main legacy of 10 years of new Labour.
Why aren't the Tories saying they are going to immediately do something about this ?
The terrorists will of course laugh at our weakness, and we know what everyone else thinks of Londonistan.
And what happens after the next attack ?
Mike, Haslemere, UK
"The King has no clothes on" - from a well known and highly relevant story by Hans Christian Andersen
Chris Freeman, Didcot,
What is wrong with judges in this country, don't pay your council tax and you end up in Prison.
Have obvious intent and links to Muslin terrorists and you are allowed to do what you like.
When are we the law abidding tax payers of our country going to wake up.
mal, London, UK
I think this shows how little the british legal system respects uk habitants.To allow 2 known extremists so stay within the uk is beyond contempt.
I hope that the judge in question realises his pay off was to little for the inocent lives it has condemed...
Michael Smith, London,
I think that the gov ( and it applies to the Gov of Canada as well) should have a strong talk with some of these judges or, even better, just ignore the rulings altogether and ship any non-citizen suspects back to their country of origin regardless of their "human rights" . If a few lawyers get all heated about this then do the right thing... put the lawyers into an internment camp somewhere and lose the key.
Tim L, Guelph, Canada
How long before the restrictions are challenged in court and over-ruled as against their Human Rights?
Rita, Nottingham,
This is another example of the law being an ass. It is obvious to the commisiion that they are releasing a threat to national security and yet they do it because of the European Convention of Human Rights MIGHT be breached. This is a another example of our national security being subordinate to the EU and its ridiculous ideas of Human Rights.
Douglas Hales, HULL,
Well! that should certainly send terrorists a strong message about how we will not stand for our social security money being missused by overseas visitors!
Terry, Basildon, England
I am not normally a fan of this mentally and morally decrepit government, but this time I have some sympathy with them. It is agreed on all sides that these two men are a threat to Britain. What is to be done with them?
We cannot deport them in case they suffer harm. We may not imprison them, as they have not been tried and sentenced. They must be released from confinement. Now, we are told that stringent bail conditions have been set, but how is it possible to stop the men simply walking away and going underground? Have we enough police effectively to stalk them, and any others like them, 24/7? And if we have, what will it cost?
Common sense suggests that we offer them a free flight to a country of their choice, with the alternative of deportation to their country of origin. In this way any risks they run will be entirely voluntary, and lie outside the scope of the courts.
Is there a reason why this option is not taken?
Michael Bruce, Selby, Yorkshire
Dear Sirs,
The UK. has lost the fight against extremists long ago,we should have quietly handed them over to the US. forces to give them a free ride to Quantanamo,then deny all knowledge.
We are not playing games here,the threat to our way of live is extreme indeed.
Derek McDonald,
Saigon,Vietnam.
Derek McDonald, Saigon, Vietnam
Rulings like this are a luxury that we may come to rue, and to see as the height of folly as the Long War progresses. You can see that while Guantanamo is a far from perfect solution to such issues, it is unfortunately necessary, when you consider those who are held there and the fact that some of those released have gone back to war with us.
Richard, Preston, UK
The answer to the Human Rights Convention is quite simple. Anyone who is deemed to be a threat to the security of this country or wishes to infringe on the human rights of others, should automatically be disqualified from being covered by the Convention themselves. The judiciary would then have no excuses.
JohnB, Malaga, Spain