Posted on 09/15/2006 5:16:25 AM PDT by Republicain
LONDON, Sept 15, 2006 (AFP) - A French-Algerian national suspected of links to international terrorism has been deported from Britain to France on national security grounds, officials said Friday, amid heightened security here.
The deportation of the 33-year-old suspect, identified only by the initials "M.K.", took place on Thursday, the Home Office said. He had been in custody for two years, and was alleged to have ties to an Al-Qaeda-linked group.
A source close to the case however downplayed the significance of the case. "It is purely administrative," he said.
Britain, which suffered a deadly multiple terrorist attack in London in July 2005, is on a high state of alert since the discovery last month of an alleged plot to blow up transatlantic airliners.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: "A foreign national who had been identified as representing a threat to the national security of the UK was yesterday deported to France.
"The individual has dual French-Algerian nationality," it said, adding that he was the third suspect to be deported from Britain on national security grounds since last year's London bombings, which killed 56 people.
She added: "Our priority is to protect public safety and national security .. The British government is grateful to the French authorities for their co-operation in facilitating the deportation of this individual." The suspect was detained under immigration rules on September 23, 2004.
He had lodged an unsuccessful appeal to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, which hears appeals from foreigners facing detention, deportation or exclusion on national security grounds, but was granted bail.
During those hearings it was alleged that he had links with the Abu Doha terror group, an Algerian group connected with Al-Qaeda. The man then appealed to the Court of Appeal, which deals with cases where people feel they have been unfairly sentenceed, in June this year but on August 4 that appeal was also dismissed.
Siac heard that the man has a "common-law wife" who is British and a daughter. The couple had undergone a form of Islamic marriage. According to judicial sources, he had protested that deportation to France would "disrupt his life."
The Home Office spokeswoman said that authorities have a commitment to protect British citizens. "Where a foreign national living in the UK is a threat to this country we will seek to deport them," she said.
I'm sure the French are just jumping for joy at the prospect...especially given recent Al Qaeda statements.
Well this will certainly teach him a lesson....../wise-a**
...which some would consider to be punishment enough.
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