Posted on 01/17/2007 12:51:52 AM PST by knighthawk
The Home Office stumbled into another crisis last night when it emerged that a radical Muslim terror suspect placed under one of the Government’s control orders has absconded, the third to disappear from supposed house arrest under the controversial security measure.
Police across Britain are hunting the unnamed man, who allegedly “wanted to travel abroad for terrorism-related purposes,” the minister for policing, security and community safety, Tony McNulty, told MPs.
The man fled from a mosque in which he had taken sanctuary, after police called to check why he had failed to hand in his passport, according to reports. He is thought to have escaped abroad.
Mr McNulty said the Home Office had decided not to lift the anonymity order which prohibits the identification of those under control orders, adding: “The individual is not believed to represent a direct threat to the public in the UK.”
However, the Conservatives said last night that the man, who absconded earlier this month, should be named “in the interests of protecting the public”.
The disclosure is a further blow to the Government’s anti-terror policy, after years in which its attempts to control suspects against whom it cannot find sufficient evidence to mount a prosecution have been repeatedly thwarted by the courts and widely criticised.
Control orders were introduced following the collapse of a regime in which foreign terror suspects were held in custody without trial. The orders were criticised by the Tories as both oppressive and ineffective.
There are orders in force on 18 individuals, two of whom are now on the run. A third fugitive disappeared after an order was signed by the Home Secretary but before it could be served on him.
The development is an embarrassment for John Reid, the Home Secretary, who is already under intense pressure over other problems in his department, most recently the failure to record criminal convictions against Britons abroad on the Police National Computer (PNC).
Mr Reid told the Commons yesterday that five serious offenders convicted of crimes abroad which were not logged in Britain were still working in jobs they obtained after passing a criminal records vetting test. Nine further offenders whose crimes were not entered on to the PNC had been cleared by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), to which prospective employers can apply for a criminal check, but were either not offered jobs or have since left them.
Although none had violent or sexual convictions, a number of the criminals had drugs convictions. In his ministerial statement, Mr McNulty said the control order on the latest suspect to abscond was “designed to address the risk posed by an individual who had recently been radicalised and wanted to travel abroad for terrorism-related purposes.
“Obligations included a requirement to report daily to a police station, to surrender travel documents and to reside at a specified address. The individual is not believed to represent a direct threat to the public in the UK at this time. Public safety is the top priority for the Government and the police.
“Locating the individual is an operational matter for the police. Investigations are ongoing. An anonymity order is in place and, after consulting the police, the Government is currently not seeking to overturn it.”
The minister added: “There are currently eighteen control orders in force. This includes the control order against the individual who absconded in September 2006. It does not include a further individual who absconded in August 2006 after a control order was made (i.e. signed), but before the order had been served. This order is therefore not in force.” They are still missing.
The shadow home secretary, David Davis, said: “Far from getting a grip since John Reid took over, the Home Office has been marked by murderers walking out of open prisons and suspected terrorists escaping from control orders.
“This latest failure demonstrates what we said some time ago. This legislation has achieved the remarkable double of being both repressive and ineffective at the same time. Unless there are special circumstances, such as if it could prejudice another trial, this individual should now be named. If there is sufficient suspicion that this man is involved in terrorist activities to restrain his activities, there is sufficient suspicion to name him in the interests of protecting the public.”
The Home Office said last night: “The Government is committed to having the strongest possible armoury to protect the public from terrorism. Control orders are essential where it is not possible to prosecute individuals for terrorism-related activity and, in the case of foreign nationals, where they cannot be removed from the UK.
“However, we have always made clear that control orders were introduced as a next best alternative for dealing with suspected terrorists. We have sought stronger controls to deal with suspected terrorists who cannot be prosecuted, but have been prevented by Parliament and the courts.”
Who was this guy Quasimodo?
Are we living in the Middle Ages or what? Can you now enter a Cathedral and demand Sanctuary?
Let’s enter the modern age people. Criminals are not given safe haven in religious buildings.
If we want to be sensitive to the Muslim’s feelings about not having infidels in their Mosques then give them an hour to surrender the wanted criminal.
If he does not surrender, send in a Muslim cop if available, if not send in the infidel cops and it is on the head of the criminal and the Imam that the Mosque was desecrated.
Was he under Mosque arrest?
Let me get this straight: you put a man who "wanted to Travel abroad for terror-related purposes" under HOUSE F-ING ARREST? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME?
Ping
Its not that simple, and there really wasn't enough to make a criminal case on.
The GOVERNMENT wanted to have these people locked up for a maximum of 90 days without charge while the case was made, while the opposition and idiotic labour mps prevented it.
These men are non uniformed, civilian enemies of the British state and citizens. They are spies and saboteurs. They should be interrogated and then shot, at night, in a basement.
Third world savages breast fed by politians - even “Conservative” ones.
The Serbians had the right idea at Srebrenica
Keep St George in my Heart keep me English and Christian.
Way to stop this is to make parole of said “suspects” responsibiliity of MPS or liberal hacks.
sorry , rest of thought
If said suspect absconds let sponsor bear brunt of whatever sentence is handed down
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