Three Iraqi men who risked their lives working for the British forces in Iraq were secretly flown out of Basra last night with their families, the first in a wave of airlifts that could lead to 2,000 Iraqis enjoying a new life in Britain.

The men — an interpreter, a staff supervisor and a mechanic — will be taken to Slough with their wives and a total of 12 children for a two-day orientation course before travelling to Scotland to be resettled.

The covert operation came eight months after the Government ordered a review of its policy towards local staff in southern Iraq . A campaign in The Times had highlighted the plight of such people, who are regarded as traitors by anti-British militias.

Though welcoming the move, many interpreters still stranded in Basra were disappointed at missing out on the first airlift and said that the longer they are made to wait for help, the greater the chance that they will be kidnapped, tortured and killed.

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Background

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• Iraqi interpreters prepare for new lives in Britain

The military plane took off under the cover of darkness from Britain’s main base outside Basra and was due to land at a military airfield in Oxfordshire in the early hours of this morning. Representatives from several non-governmental organisations that deal with asylum will meet the group at Brize Norton and take them to Slough.

Before boarding the plane, the three men revealed their excitement at escaping Iraq. Abdul, the interpreter, understands more than most the perils associated with working for the British forces. The eldest of his three sons was murdered in March last year.

“When my son was killed because we worked with the British I felt so sad,” Abdul, 71, said. He has also lost three friends who were fellow interpreters. Two were shot by militants and the third was blown up by a roadside bomb while on patrol.

Abdul’s family fled to Syria and he, like many interpreters, was forced to move on to the military base. He said that he hoped to find a better life for his wife, two surviving sons and daughter in Scotland, adding: “I don’t think Basra will be a safe place.”

The labour supervisor, Abdullah, 30, has worked for the British military for four and a half years. He said that militiamen came to his house, beat up his wife and one of his three sons and told him to quit his job. “It changed my whole life. I couldn’t sleep. We kept thinking, ‘when will be their next visit?’,” he recalled.

Abdullah, who also worked as a shopkeeper, said that he wanted to find work in Britain to support his wife, sons and two daughters. “The British gave me and my family a new life,” he said. “I will not forget the Queen of England for what she gave us.”

The mechanic, also called Abdul, said that neither he nor his family had been threatened by the militia, but he still feared for their safety because of his work with the British. “The main idea for leaving Iraq is that I wish to give my family a good and peaceful life,” said Abdul, 58, who is travelling with his wife, three sons and a daughter. His eldest son, aged 18, has chosen to remain in Iraq with his uncle.

A Whitehall official said that the relocation package, which includes financial assistance and other support for the first few months, was a sign of the Government’s gratitude for the sacrifices that Iraqi employees have made. “We are very pleased to welcome the first of our staff to this country, where we will help them to settle in and build their new lives so they can look to the future with confidence,” the official said last night.

Last autumn, the Government offered limited sanctuary to Iraqi interpreters and other staff whose lives have been put at risk because of their work. More than a thousand applications were received but almost half were rejected after they turned out to be false claims or duplicated copies.

Under the scheme, anyone working for the British military or a government department from August last year is eligible to apply for direct resettlement. Former staff, however, can only apply for asylum through a special United Nations-sponsored programme, which takes longer because applicants must first travel to a third country such as Jordan or Syria before reaching Britain. Applicants in both categories also have the option of a one-off cash payment.

Government figures show that 75 staff have applied for assistance, with 63 choosing the money and 12 opting for a move to Britain. This figure includes the three who arrived today with their dependants. Whitehall officials say that the high ratio of people wanting the payout shows that families see a brighter future in Iraq, but some of those applying for the scheme say that the complicated procedure prompts people to take the cash.

News of the first airlift bound for Britain swept through the Basra base, where just under 360 Iraqis are still working, some as interpreters and translators, others as cleaners, mechanics, cooks and manual labourers. All will be eligible to apply to travel to Britain once their contracts end.

One interpreter, who was forced to leave his wife and three children at his home in Basra after receiving death threats, was disappointed at not being among the first to leave the base. “Can Gordon Brown or anyone at the Home Office ensure the safety of my family?” he asked.

Iraqi forces moved into Basra two weeks ago in an attempt to clear the city of militia gangs, prompting widespread violence, although the situation has calmed in recent days.

A Ministry of Defence official said that the procedure was fair but that security checks on some people took longer than others.

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