It has been almost 3 months now since the supposed “terror raids” which resulted in 10 Pakistani national students being arrested by police due to a suspected terror plot. During that time, 10 of the 12 students are detained with intention to deport. A campaign has built around this event which has and continued to rapidly increase and expand in support.

 

This national campaign for those detained students commenced in a regional meeting of people in Longsight, Manchester on the 9th of May. The meeting was addressed by three of the student’s familes by mobile phone. They expressed support for a campaign and have been mobilizing their own campaign in Pakistan.

Tahir Rahman, brother of Tariq Rahman, speaking from Peshawar, Pakistan said, ‘Tariq ur Rahman was sent to the UK to study to make a better life for his family and himself. His young wife died during the birth of their first child. His father is dead. His paralysed mother cannot come to terms with her son’s imprisonment. She has not spoken to her son since his arrest.’

Nasrullah Jaan Khattak, father of Abid Nasir spoke from Peshawar, Pakistan. He said, "I fear for my son. I appeal to the government to give him the chance to finish his education. I have not been able to speak to my son since the arrest and we are very worried about him and his health. We sent our son to study not to be oppressed."

So what has lead to these student been detained in the first place? It was the 8th of April in which the police conducted their arrested. Gordon Brown made a statement that praises the police for averting a imminent terror plot. Subsequently they were not able to convict the student of any crime, and therefore the students were released from police custody. Following this, the Home Office continues to hold the students after the police have rightfully cleared them. What game are the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary playing?

There is no legal basis for the confinement, as there are not charged with anything. Yet they are classified as the depreciative Category A criminals. These are classed as people who, if whose escape would be highly dangerous to the public or national security. The student have tried fighting their holding, but as the intelligence is not disclosed to the students’ solicitors or the court judges, there is no basis in which a proper defence can be held.

The Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 states that “provide for special immigration status for terrorists and serious criminals who cannot currently be removed from the UK for legal reasons.” The government, therefore, has no grounds on holding or deporting these students as they have been formally cleared from any kind a criminal activity.

It seems beggars’ belief that the government is able to hold anyone on the absence of legislation. Even more so when the Prime Minister himself endorses an act that is the epitome of a police state and at the same time denounces the occurrence elected BNP in the recent European elections.
The campaign that acts in the interests of justice for these students, demand that the students are immediately released and that they are compensated financially and are assisted to complete their education. In addition the Ministers who publically made statements about their arrests should give a formal and public apology.

The movement has already had support from the University and College Union and the TUC are in process of passing a motion to support the campaign.
The Campaign in is few months have receive political support. Chris Davies MEP has openly supported the campaign as well as Mr Mohammad Sarwar MP, Member of Parliament for Glasgow Central and Khalid Mahmood MP, Member of Parliament for Birmingham Perry Bar after receiving countless calls from the Pakistani Community.

The founder of the campaign, Tariq Mehmood, said, upon the intention of the campaign: “What sort of a society locks people up without charge, without evidence, threatens to throw them out of the country on the whims of politicians and sexed up intelligence reports. What has happened to this country where the police are threatening more such raids? We are all but in a police state. The gloves are nearly off and it won’t simply be Muslims who will feel the heat.”

The campaign has branches in London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Manchester and welcomes all kind of support of any kind. It also urges the public to contact their MP to pressure them to act and stand for the issue.

All details of the campaign can be found at the following address: http://www.j4nw10.org/