'Threats to UK Security' Detained

11/08/2005| IslamWeb

Ten foreigners were detained in London and other parts of Britain and face deportation on national security grounds, Home Secretary Charles Clarke announced.

None of the foreigners were identified, but one of the detainees was thought to be Abu Qatada, 44, a Jordanian resident in Britain for 12 years.

In a statement, Clarke said: "According to my power to deport individuals whose presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good for reasons of national security, the Immigration Service has today detained 10 foreign nationals who I believe pose a threat to national security."

"They will be held in secure prison service accommodation and I shall not disclose their names."

London's Metropolitan Police told AFP its officers had assisted in an Immigration Service operation to detain individuals under the Immigration Act, but did not themselves carry out any arrests.

Other detentions were carried out in central England, in Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, and the West Midlands, the region that includes Britain's second city of Birmingham.

Thursday's detentions came a day after the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Jordan ensuring deportees would not be mistreated after their forced return from Britain.

Meanwhile, 10 people were to appear in a central London magistrates court Thursday charged with failing to provide information to police regarding a failed attempt on July 21 to repeat the bombings.

Three men suspected of carrying out the attempted attacks appeared in a high-security court Monday charged with attempted murder, conspiracy and possession of explosives.

A fourth has undergone questioning by an Italian judge and British anti-terrorist police in Rome, pending a hearing there on a request for his extradition to Britain.

PHOTO CAPTION

A police car drives through central London. (AFP)