A NUMBER of Islamic militants on the list of undesirables to be expelled this week have reportedly tried to go into hiding before the arrests begin.

Undercover agents kept watch on the individuals over the weekend as Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, signed the first deportation documents. There are thought to be more than 100 names on the list.

One cleric, understood to be listed, was seen being smuggled out of his home at the weekend. Another, the Saudi-born Muhammad al-Massari, has been in contact with lawyers about how to block an arrest.

At the weekend he removed a website from the internet that showed the murder of three British soldiers by an Iraqi suicide bomber. Dr al-Massari blamed a government “inquisition” for having to strip his website of controversial content.

Abu Qatada, who has been described as al-Qaeda’s spiritual ambassador in Europe, is another on the list.

The Home Secretary said that he will pursue anyone who “foments, justifies or glorifies terrorist violence”, through organisations such as the Muslim Council.

The Muslim Association has told him privately that forced expulsions will be “counterproductive”. It says that it played no part in helping Mr Clarke to draw up the list and wants to know how the Home Office monitored the preachers.

Mohammad Shahid Raza, who trains imams at the Muslim College, said: “The authorities must be transparent about what they are doing and give reasons why they wish to remove these preachers, or they could face resistance from our youth. We need to know so we can explain to our communities who may be in agreement.”

Mr Clarke’s rules are aimed at individuals and not whole organisations, such as Hizb-ut-Tahrir, although ministers are looking at ways to ban such groups.

Lawyers for the first ten men to be picked up as part of the crackdown, and held as a threat to public safety, have given warning that it could take up to three years and cost the taxpayers £3 million for the courts to rule if the detainees can be deported.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Time-worn Freddie gives up Test matches
• Brighton company 'involved in cyber attack'
• The art of survival: it’s all in the mind