"While dictators rage and statesmen talk, all Europe dances — to The Lambeth Walk."

Thursday 11 June 2009

Pakistani Terror Suspect Punishes Britain - By Leaving

From the BBC:

A Pakistani man who was among 12 people arrested in counter-terrorism raids in the north west of England has returned voluntarily to his home country.

Tariq-ur-Rehman said his decision to leave was a protest against his treatment by UK authorities, which included being strip searched.

Mr Rehman and 11 others were freed by police, but taken back into UK Border Agency custody pending deportation.

The remaining men are all contesting their removal.

Of the 12 men arrested in April in raids in Liverpool, Manchester and Clitheroe in Lancashire, 11 were Pakistani nationals, with 10 holding student visas. One was from Britain.

Mr Rehman arrived back in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Thursday morning, escorted by four British police officers.

I have been arrested just because I am a Muslim
Tariq-ur-Rehman

The BBC's Mike Wooldridge spoke to him during the flight and Mr Rehman said he had been left mentally very disturbed by his treatment.

He was held in a high security facility, strip searched and had his cell searched with dogs, he said.

He also told our correspondent he was never given any explanation of why he was considered a threat to national security and had never been involved in any such activity.

Mr Rehman added that he had come to Britain for a better life, but with suspicions of Islamic extremism hanging over him, his future had been "destroyed".

"I have been arrested just because I am a Muslim and I belong to Pakistan," he said.

That sort of protest can only be good for Britain. Rehman forgot to mention several things, however:

1) He shouldn't have been here in the first place.

2) We don't specifically owe anyone an education or a better life and have the right to control our borders.

3) He would have been treated far worse in Pakistan, and ought to be grateful he wasn't arrested there.

4) He was arrested and let go because there was insufficient evidence, not because he was necessarily innocent.

1 comment:

Dr.D said...

Oh, what an affront to British dignity! How will the UK be able to bear up under this offense?

Just wish there would be many millions more just like this one!