The Herald : ‘Terror plot’ pair to go free as MP calls police operation a catalogue of errors

‘Terror plot’ pair to go free as MP calls police operation a catalogue of errors

July 17, 2009

Two Pakistani students accused of being part of an alleged terror plot are to be released from custody.

Sultan Sher and Janus Khan were among 12 men held during raids in the north west of England in April.

The pair, who are in their mid 20s, were detained as the Home Office sought to deport them, claiming they posed a threat to national security.

But that allegation was dropped yesterday, a solicitor for one of the men said.

Mohammed Ayub said the pair would be released subject to conditions, including wearing an electronic tag and reporting to police.

Home Office officials said the government would now seek to deport them for visa irregularities.

A Home Office spokesman said: "These individuals no longer meet the required criteria for detention on the grounds of national security.

"They are currently detained pending removal on immigration grounds, but legally we cannot hold them indefinitely.

"We are therefore putting in place suitable and robust measures to ensure we are fully aware of their whereabouts as we progress their cases for removal."

Mr Ayub said the terror allegations against his client were "groundless" and he would oppose the continuing attempts to deport him.

He said: "It beggars belief that the Secretary of State could behave like this.

"Why was my client held in custody for all this time?"

"I wish to state my client is entitled to an unreserved apology and no further action should be taken against him."

Of the remaining men held during the raid, one has joint British and Pakistani citizenship and has been released.

Another has returned to Pakistan voluntarily and an Afghan man is in custody pending deportation for being in the UK illegally.

The other seven face deportation on the grounds of national security. Their case returns to court on July 27.

Sher, living in Manchester, and Khan, living in Liverpool, were arrested on April 18 as part of Operation Pathway.

The operation was launched early after Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick of Metropolitan Police was photographed going in to Downing Street with a document giving details of the police plan. Mr Quick subsequently resigned.

Keith Vaz, chairman of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, called for Home Secretary Alan Johnson to make an urgent statement over the matter.

He said: "The release of two Pakistani students who were alleged to have been part of terrorist activity begs a number of questions as to why they were detained in the first place.

"There appears to have been a catalogue of errors.

"It is important that the Home Secretary makes a statement as a matter of urgency to clarify exactly what happened."

© All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

APP : British authorities withdraw deportation orders on Pak students

British authorities withdraw deportation orders on Pak students

July 17, 2009

LONDON, July 17 (APP)-The British authorities have decided to withdraw deportation orders on two of the nine Pakistani students detained on national security grounds. The students Sultan Sher and Janas Khan who both belong to NWFP, and detained in Leeds and Milton Keynes respectively, are expected to be released later on Friday after the completion of the normal process.

According to their lawyer, the students are now expected to be dealt with the usual immigration process and if their visas are found to be valid will be allowed to stay in the UK to continue their studies.

On April 8 this year, Manchester based police arrested 12 men in parallel raids at 10 addresses across Manchester, Liverpool and Lancashire.

Ten of those arrested were Pakistan-born nationals on student visas and one a UK-born British national. After three weeks, the charges were dropped due to lack of evidence, but they were handed over to the UK Borders Agency for deportation.

One student Tariq-ur-Rehman returned home voluntarily last month on the condition that the British authorities withdraw deportation orders.

Meanwhile, Amjad Malik, lawyer representing two students Abdul Wahab Khan and Shoaib Khan has applied for further bail before Special Immigration Appeals Commission which is due for hearing here on July 27.

Taiwan News : 2 students held in UK terror raids to be freed

2 students held in UK terror raids to be freed

Associated Press | February 17, 20001

Britain's High Commission in Pakistan says two Pakistani men detained during a series of terrorism raids in northern England are due to be released.

The two men were among 12 students arrested in April and are being held in immigration detention. They had been due to be deported to Pakistan after the U.K. ruled they posed a risk to British national security.

British authorities had alleged the men were connected to an al-Qaida network based in the U.K., and intended to carry out a major terrorism attack.

The British High Commission in Islamabad said Friday that deportation proceedings had been dropped.

Lawyer Mohammed Ayub says his client Sultan Sher is one of the two men being released. Eight other men are awaiting deportation.

TeleText : Pair released without charge

Pair released without charge

July 17, 2009

A man from Liverpool and a man from Manchester who the Home Office claimed were a threat to national security have been released without charge.

Sultan Sher and Janus Khan were among 12 men arrested in the north west and held in custody since April.

But they must now wear electronic tags and report to police as the Government seeks to deport them to Pakistan.

Canadian Press : Britain to free 2 Pakistani students detained during April terror raids in northern England

Britain to free 2 Pakistani students detained during April terror raids in northern England

By David Stringer (CP) | July 17, 2009

LONDON — Two Pakistani men detained during a series of terrorism raids in northern England are no longer considered a threat and will be released, but they could still face deportation over immigration offences, British officials said Friday.

The two men were among 12 students arrested in high-profile April raids, and have been held for several months in immigration detention. They had been due to be deported to Pakistan after the U.K. ruled they posed a risk to British national security, but officials have concluded they are no longer a threat, Jennifer Wilkes, a spokeswoman for the British High Commission in Islamabad, said in a statement.

Judge John Mitting told a court hearing in May that Britain's Home Office alleged the arrested men were linked to al-Qaida and involved in planning terrorist attacks in Britain. The men have maintained their innocence.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the police operation had foiled a "very big terrorist plot," but law enforcement and security official have not disclosed any specifics of the alleged plans. Following the raids, police said there was insufficient evidence to charge any of the men with criminal offences. They have remained held for deportation since.

"Their case has been kept under constant review, and as soon as it became clear that these individuals did not meet the criteria for deportation, the decision was taken to drop deportation proceedings," Wilkes said.

"This has clearly been a difficult time for these individuals, which we regret. It was however necessary, given the reason for their arrest and detention, to carry out a rigorous investigation," she added.

The Home Office said the two men will be released on Friday, but that authorities will now attempt to deport the men on different grounds. One was refused a visa extension in March, and authorities will attempt to revoke the second man's student visa because they do not believe he is carrying out legitimate studies, the ministry said. Both will be fitted with electronic tags while their cases are considered.

Lawyer Mohammed Ayub, based in Bradford, northern England, said his client Sultan Sher is one of the two men being released. He said he represents two other men still detained.

"All our clients have maintained throughout their ordeal that they were here on lawful purposes as students. Our clients reiterate they are neither extremists nor terrorists," Ayub said.

In addition to the two students due to be released, eight other men are awaiting deportation - seven to Pakistan and one to Afghanistan. One other man has returned to Pakistan voluntarily and another is a British national who was freed following his arrest.

Families of the arrested students in Pakistan reacted with anger, and have demanded that the men either be charged with an offence, or freed and allowed to complete their studies in Britain.

The case rattled British-Pakistani relations, already under pressure after Brown said that at least three-quarters of all terrorist plots against the U.K. have links to Pakistan - and specifically the country's northwest, where al-Qaida and the Taliban have strongholds.

Ayub said Britain's government should consider holding an inquiry into the police operation, to review mistakes. "No other innocent person should have to suffer the ordeal that our clients have," he said.

"We appreciate that this case has caused concern to many people in Pakistan but want to make clear that the British government has at all times acted within U.K. law and in accordance with our duty to protect the safety of the public," Wilkes said.

Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Online News (Pakistan) : Two Pakistanis To Be Released From UK Immigration Detention

Two Pakistanis To Be Released From UK Immigration Detention

July 17, 2009

ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistanis who were detained by the British Authorities on April 8, 2009 under the Terrorism Act would be released.

11 Pakistani students were arrested on April 8 on suspicion of being involved in hatching terrorist plots in the UK. The British High Commission spokesperson, Jennifer Wilkes said Friday, "I can confirm that two individuals of Pakistani nationality arrested under the Terrorism Act in the UK on 8 April 2009 are being released from immigration detention where they had been held pending deportation on national security grounds.

This has clearly been a difficult time for these individuals, which we regret. It was however necessary, given the reason, to carry out a rigorous investigation. Those detained were given the full protection of UK law throughout their detention. An independent judge approved their continued detention at a hearing in May. Their case has been kept under constant review, and as soon as it became clear that these individuals did not meet the criteria for deportation, the decision was taken to drop deportation proceedings.

We appreciate that this case has caused concern to many people in Pakistan but want to make clear that the British Government has at all times acted within UK law and in accordance with our duty to protect the safety of the public", she said.

Nine out of these 11 men were released on April 22, 2009 after their remand expired and no charges were proven against them. Two continued to remain in custody, which have now been released.

Manchester Evening News : Terror raids men freed

Terror raids men freed

July 17, 2009

A MAN from Manchester and one from Liverpool who the Home Office claimed were a threat to national security have been released from custody without charge.

Sultan Sher and Janus Khan were among 12 men held during raids in the north west of England in April amid an alleged terrorism plot.

The pair, who are in their mid 20s, were detained as the Home Office sought to deport them.

But the "threat to national security" allegation has been dropped, a solicitor for one of the men said.

Groundless

Mohammed Ayub said the pair now have to wear an electronic tag and report to police, while the government seeks to deport them to Pakistan for "visa irregularities".

Mr Ayub said the terrorism allegations against his client are "groundless" and he will oppose the continuing attempts to deport him.

He said: "It beggars belief that the Secretary of State could behave like this. Why was my client held in custody for all this time?

"I wish to state my client is entitled to an unreserved apology and no further action should be taken against him."

Of the remaining men held during the raid, one has joint British and Pakistani citizenship and has been released.

A Home Office spokesman said of the two released men: "These individuals no longer meet the required criteria for detention on the grounds of national security.

"They are currently detained pending removal on immigration grounds but legally we cannot hold them indefinitely."

BBC : Two terror suspects to be freed

Two terror suspects to be freed

July 17, 2009

Two Pakistani students arrested in north west England in April accused of being part of an alleged terror plot are to be released.

Sultan Sher and Janus Khan were never charged but were due to be deported on the grounds of national security.

Seven of the 12 men who were arrested remain in custody awaiting deportation.

Mr Sher's solicitor called for an independent inquiry, saying his arrest and detention had been a "very serious" breach of human rights.

The released pair will be required to wear electronic tags as the Home Office still wants to deport them due to visa irregularities, the BBC understands.

Twelve students were arrested in the terror raids in Manchester and Liverpool, with three subsequently released.

'Robust measures'

The rest were put in prison pending deportation on the grounds of national security and their case, involving secret evidence they have not seen, is due back in court on 27 July.

The Home Office said it was not allowed to detain the men indefinitely.

"These individuals no longer meet the required criteria for detention on the grounds of national security. They are currently detained pending removal, but legally we cannot hold them indefinitely.

"We are therefore putting in place suitable and robust measures to ensure we are fully aware of their whereabouts as we progress their cases for removal."

Mohammed Ayub, solicitor for Sultan Sher, said the men had maintained they were not extremists or terrorists.

"Our clients were originally arrested in a blaze of publicity at gunpoint by the police. They were interviewed for 13 days and released into immigration detention without any criminal charges brought against them," he said.

"Our clients' plea of innocence is confirmed by the decision of the Home Office to firstly withdraw the intention to deport one of our clients on the grounds of national security and secondly to release him shortly.

"We believe that our original call for an independent inquiry into Operation Pathway has now been strengthened.

"We are of the opinion that lessons should be learnt as to how this investigation could have got it so terribly wrong and so that no other innocent person should have to suffer the ordeal that our clients have."