Eleven Foreign Terrorists on the Streets and Not Deported
Tom Whitehead and Duncan Gardham, Telegraph (London), September 29, 2011
At least eleven foreign-born terrorists who should have been deported from Britain after finishing prison terms are still walking the streets.
They include offenders who helped the July 21 bomb plotters a fortnight after the 7/7 atrocity.
Seven are fighting deportation on human rights grounds, meaning they may never leave. Last night government officials refused to identify them or say what has happened to the other four.
The list is known to include Siraj Ali, who aided the failed July 21 suicide bomb plotters and was jailed for nine years.
Ali is the foster brother of Yassin Omar, the failed Warren Street bomber, and housed Muktar Ibrahim, another of the would-be bombers, while the devices were being made in a council flat a floor below.
He is using taxpayer-funded legal advice to fight deportation to Eritrea, even though Britain returns hundreds of people there every year.
Ismail Abdurahman, 28, who was jailed for eight years after he hid would-be 21/7 bomber Hussain Osman for three days, is also fighting deportation to Somalia.
It is understood the seven also includes the brother and sister Esayas and Mulu Girma, who are fighting deportation to Ethiopia. Osman’s wife Yeshiemebet, who is still in jail, and her brother, Esayas, picked up Osman and drove him to their sister Mulu’s house, in Brighton where she dressed his wounds from the failed attack.
A man who was jailed for two years after making a hoax bomb call is also resisting deportation.
It is known 11 terrorists are on the streets after the Henry Jackson Society, a think tank, compiled a list of a possible 16.
The Ministry of Justice insisted six of those were either deported or in custody but refused to say which ones. The 11th
is Jeyabalasingam, who was not on the list.
Houriya Ahmed, a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, said: “Earlier this year the Government said they were going to deport those found guilty of terrorism offences by obtaining assurances from foreign governments that prisoners won’t be abused upon their return to their home country.
“However, as is often the case, our obligations to the European Human Rights Convention impedes us from deporting those who plotted against this country and our government has obviously not resolved this.
“If our government cannot deport foreign nationals convicted of terrorism offences because of its obligations to the European Human Rights Convention, despite getting assurances that prisoners won’t be tortured by the government in their home country, then how can the UK be expected to fully protect its national security?”
Last night a Home Office spokesman said: “We believe any foreign criminal convicted of a serious terrorism-related offence should be removed from the UK at the earliest opportunity and where possible held in immigration detention until deported.
“We are currently pursuing deportation against a number of individuals and will consider action against the rest towards the end of their sentences.”