Asylum seekers 'enter UK in Tony Blair's car'

London Daily Telegraph ^ | Sept 30, 2007 | DancesWithCats

[DancesWithCats]

Last Updated: 2:00am BST 01/10/2007

Four asylum seekers trying to sneak into Britain in a container lorry were astonished when they got out of the vehicle and found themselves in a police station yard.

Tony Blair's new house; Asylum seekers 'enter UK in Tony Blair's new car' Security remains tight around the former PM and his Connaught Square home

Any notion that they were caught by good police intelligence were soon dispelled, however, when if emerged that, unbeknown to them, the lorry was carrying a new, high-security car destined for the former prime minister, Tony Blair.

The episode on Wednesday has caused much mirth around the Metropolitan Police, and may even raise a smile from the four, who are now in immigration custody claiming asylum.

It has not gone down well, though, with Scotland Yard’s specialist operations department, which protects Mr Blair and organised the importation of the vehicle - a £100,000, dark grey BMW 7 Series - from Germany.

Mr Blair is regarded as one of al-Qa’eda’s top targets, even in retirement, and is the most heavily and expensively-protected former Prime Minister.

The container was meant to be secure, to protect one of the most important vehicles shipped into Britain.

An inquiry is now underway into how the men got into the lorry - it is believed in northern France - and it is understood the car has been returned to Germany for its security to be checked.

The vehicle - with bullet-proof glass, reinforced doors and a chassis capable of withstanding some bomb blasts, accompanied by a high-power engine - was to be Mr Blair principal means of transport in the UK.

[DancesWithCats]

Back to the drawing board, boys. LOL

[RichInOC]

“This is a self-preservation society,
“A self-preservation society...”

[dighton]

The facial expressions of all must have been priceless.

[Cicero]

Oops.