UK threatens to deport activists
By Geoffrey Bew
MANAMA
ANY Bahraini activists found guilty of using Britain as a platform from which to orchestrate unrest here could be deported, UK Home Office officials said yesterday. The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that some people had been using the shelter of asylum to form cells, which threaten security in both countries.
A statement suggested vague British laws on political asylum were partly responsible for the problem and it was feared some people had forged “illegal contacts” with compatriots in Lebanon and Iran.
UK threatens to deport activists
By Geoffrey Bew
MANAMA
ANY Bahraini activists found guilty of using Britain as a platform from which to orchestrate unrest here could be deported, UK Home Office officials said yesterday. The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that some people had been using the shelter of asylum to form cells, which threaten security in both countries.
A statement suggested vague British laws on political asylum were partly responsible for the problem and it was feared some people had forged “illegal contacts” with compatriots in Lebanon and Iran.
However, a spokeswoman for the London-based Home Office said tough action would be taken against anyone found guilty of such offences.
“Someone who incites a crime as an asylum seeker would be treated in the same way as anyone else and possibly deported if found guilty, after going through the criminal justice system,” she said.
“The same goes for monitoring people who incite crime, we make no distinction between monitoring British or foreign nationals.”
The spokeswoman declined to comment on whether the possible impact of the controversy on British-Bahrain relations, saying that would be a matter for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
British Ambassador Jamie Bowden earlier confirmed Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa had called him to a meeting on Monday, where they discussed the situation.
He said he was aware of Bahrain’s concerns but denied there was any rift between Bahraini and British officials.
Shaikh Rashid stressed that those who had sought asylum were not involved in political cases in Bahrain or wanted by the authorities.
geoff@gdn.com.bh
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article
=211994&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=30366&date=3-20-2008
