BBC : Cleared terror man fights to stay

Cleared terror man fights to stay

August 14, 2009

One of the men arrested in north-west England accused of being part of an alleged terror plot has told a tribunal he is a genuine student.

Pakistani Janas Khan was one of 12 men who were arrested and released without charge in the raids in April.

The Home Office is trying to deport him, saying he had falsely stated on his visa he was not working while studying, when in fact he was.

He disputed the hours they said he was working and said he was a good student.

At the tribunal, the Home Office produced a form on which Mr Khan had stated he was not working while studying.

'Ordinary student'

But they said he was working part time as a security guard in Clitheroe, Lancs, and produced time sheets showing he was working up to 50 hours a week, when the maximum students can work is 20 hours per week.

Mr Khan said he did not work all of the shifts and often subcontracted the work to other people.

His barrister, John Nicholson said it was a very loose form of employment without a contract or terms and conditions.

Mr Nicholson said: "He is not a terrorist, he is not an asylum seeker, he is an ordinary student who's done very well in his classes, getting very good marks. He has got a lot of support from the Liverpool Hope University here today."

Mr Khan said: "If I don't get my degree I will go home with empty hands and I won't have a future."

The tribunal also heard if he returned to Pakistan without his degree, the cloud of suspicion would remain over him because of the fact he was arrested in the counter terrorism operation.

The judge's decision should be relayed to Khan within the next 10 days.