Daily Mail : Government attempts to deport Pakistani students held in terror raid fiasco then released without charge

Government attempts to deport Pakistani students held in terror raid fiasco then released without charge

By Stephen Wright | April 22, 2009

The fiasco over the botched north west terror raids threatened to spiral out of control today after all 12 men arrested over an alleged bomb plot in the north west were released without charge.

Instead 11 of the suspects - originally detained over the alleged plot to blow up a nightclub or shopping centre - were released into the custody of the UK Borders Agency, in a humiliating set back for police.

The Pakistani men, most of them on British student visas, are now set to be thrown out for breaching the terms of their entry.

However, the lawyer acting for three of nine men said this would only add "insult to injury" and vowed to fight their deportation.

Mohammed Ayub said: 'Our clients have no criminal history, they were here lawfully on student visas and all were pursuing their studies and working part-time. Our clients are neither extremists nor terrorists.

'Their arrest and detention has been a very serious breach of their human rights.'

It is understood that the UK has already begun seeking assurances that that will not face torture when returned to their home land.

The development is a huge embarrassment to counter terrorism detectives and the security services who were convinced the men were plotting a major terrorist attack.

The arrests a fortnight ago were brought forward by several hours after Britain's most senior anti-terror officer, Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick, clumsily revealed confidential details of the impending operation to a press photographer as he arrived at Downing Street for a briefing.

Mr Quick was forced to quit his £180,000 a year job less than 24 hours after his mistake.

Following the arrests, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: 'We are dealing with a very big terrorist plot. We have been following it for some time. There were a number of people who are suspected of it who have been arrested. That police operation was successful. We know that there are links between terrorists in Britain and terrorists in Pakistan.'

Senior security sources last night insisted that it had been right to arrest the men on terrorism allegations, adding that the priority had been to protect UK citizens from a possible terrorist attack.

However, detectives and the security services had encountered problems trying to convert intelligence into evidence.

This stance is unlikely to appease some community leaders who will almost certainly try to turn the suspects' release into a political issue.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'We are seeking to remove these individuals on the grounds of national security.

'The Government's highest priority is to protect public safety. Where a foreign national faces a threat to this country we will seek to exclude or deport, where this is appropriate.'

Extensive searches of properties linked to the men did not result in the discovery of any bomb making equipment or materials.

In the aftermath of the arrests, security sources said that the raids were brought forward after intelligence suggested that the group could strike as early as the Easter holiday.

According to some media reports, surveillance officers reported seeing some of the men filming buildings including the Trafford Centre, the Arndale Centre and the Birdcage nightclub in Manchester.

Last night a Greater Manchester police spokeswoman said searches were continuing at a property in Galsworthy Avenue, Cheetham Hill, Manchester.

She added: 'Protecting the public is the main focus of the police. These arrests were carried out after a number of UK agencies gathered information that indicated a potential risk to public safety.

Officers are continuing to review a large amount of information gathered as part of this investigation.

'Investigations of this nature are extremely complex. We remain grateful to the support and cooperation of the communities affected.'

The Muslim Council of Britain accused the Government of 'dishonourable' behaviour.

Spokesman Inayat Bunglawala told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'When these arrests took place, in very dramatic circumstances with students being pulled from universities and thrown to the floor, we were told by the Prime Minister no less that this was part of a very big terrorist plot. Clearly there just has not been the evidence produced to substantiate such a plot.

'We would hope that senior ministers and the Prime Minister will understand that it is completely unfair to make prejudicial and premature remarks in cases like this.

'It is perfectly understandable that not every arrest the police make will result in charges being brought...that is the nature of this sort of police work.

'What is unacceptable though is for the Government to make prejudicial remarks right at the outset.

'And now, now that we learn that actual evidence cannot be gathered to substantiate any terror plot, instead of releasing them with good grace and making clear a mistake has been made, the Government is seeking to deport them citing a very vague national security threat. That is a very dishonourable way of proceeding.'