35 Afghans Strapped In Seats To Be Flown Home

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 4-28-2003 | Nic Fleming

[blam]

35 Afghans strapped in seats to be flown home

By Nic Fleming
(Filed: 28/04/2003)

Thirty-five Afghan illegal immigrants are to be strapped to their seats for an eight-hour flight home today. They will be flown non-stop to Afghanistan amid tight security.

They are the first of thousands of failed asylum seekers whom the Government plans to remove forcibly from Britain. The Afghans will board a jet at Stansted, Essex, as part of the Home Office's clampdown on illegal immigrants.

Medical personnel - and 15 guards wearing stab-proof vests - will accompany the group. The asylum seekers will be subjected to a strip-search to ensure that they are not carrying anything which could be used in a hijack.

The captain and crew have been given permission to make an emergency landing if trouble breaks out.

There are 26,000 illegal immigrants from Afghanistan currently in Britain claiming political asylum. Few left voluntarily following a court ruling that they had to go.

David Blunkett, Home Secretary, responded by launching a multi-million pound repatriation operation. Thousands are expected to leave over the next few months.

[blam]

Bravo.

[ThreePuttinDude]

They are the first of thousands of failed asylum seekers whom the Government plans to remove forcibly from Britain

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This is a great start...

[xJones]

There are 26,000 illegal immigrants from Afghanistan currently in Britain claiming political asylum.

Bravo indeed, but it would seem like with that many to go, the Brits could stuff more than 35 on a flight. Unless, of course, the 35 are considered to be particularly dangerous, and with all those guards, maybe they are.

[Hank Rearden]

The captain and crew have been given permission to make an emergency landing if trouble breaks out.

"We, your rulers, give you permission to make an emergency landing if you feel it necessary. Without our permission, you would have to stay in the air and survive on those little bags of peanuts."

Stupid damn government.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[blam]

""We, your rulers, give you permission to make an emergency landing if you feel it necessary."

I read that to mean that they had already made arrangements with all countries on the way and are pre-cleared to land if necessary.

[TheCrusader]

Wasn't it Confucious who said: "The journey of 26,000 Muslims starts with a single flight"? ;o)

[GnuHere]

How does that old joke go: What do you call a lawyer at the bottom of the lake?

A good start.

[ThreePuttinDude]

That's always been one of my favorites...LMAO

[Oberon]

So are they actually going to land the plane before the asylyum seekers disembark?

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" and 15 guards wearing stab-proof vests "

It's like Con Air and Silence of the Lambs, rolled into one.

[JoJo Gunn]

Strap 'em in.