Friday, October 20, 2006

Last Ditch Effort to Keep Top Al Qaeda Terrorist in Prison

The British government has been forced to use immigration laws to keep a major Al Qaeda terrorist in prison. Abu Doha was described by a judge as creating “one of the most significant groups of terrorists in the United Kingdom and a continuing significant threat to its security”.

Yet, it seems, the police have no way to hold him other than by illegal immigration laws, and even that is being challenged by his lawyers. He was due to be extradited to the US to face charges of planning to blow up LA Airport, but that case collapsed after the chief witness refused to testify.

Now, plans are afoot to deport him back to his home country of Algeria where he is associated with a terrorist group. However, Amnesty International have said that that would be like "extradition in disguise".

But, one has to ask why the government do not charge him with some of the offences he has definitely committed here. When first arrested he was found to be carrying a false passport. His council flat was found to have a handgun, rifle sight and dozens of false identity documents.