Terrorist Flees UK to Join ’ISIL’ despite Passport Removal
Local Editor
A terror suspect has fled Britain in the back of a lorry even though his passport was removed by the Home Secretary, it has emerged.
The 26-year-old man, who can only be referred to as CF, lived in Dartmouth Park, north London, close to the home of Labor leader Ed Miliband.
He has a long history of involvement with groups linked to al-Qaeda and is thought to have been seeking to join the "ISIL", sources say.
CF had been placed under terrorism prevention and investigation measures, (Tpim) but the orders expire after two years and his was lifted in January this year. At that stage, Theresa May used her powers under the royal prerogative to remove the man's passport and prevent him seeking to join terrorists abroad.
The man's departure is likely to embarrass the British Home Office and calls into question the effectiveness of the Tpim measures which the government is seeking to use on a more regular basis.
CF is thought to have hidden in the back of a lorry to reach Belgium, where he sought to obtain a forged British passport.
Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary, said Labor had warned Theresa May that weakening counter terrorism powers would be a "serious mistake".
"This is another example of the failure of her Tpims to keep track of terror suspects. Without Tpims, the Home Office said other arrangements would be in place to manage these suspects, but it's clear they aren't satisfactory.
"Theresa May took the decision to weaken these counter-terrorism powers - she must answer for the disappearance of this suspect, even when his passport has reportedly been removed. It's not good enough," Cooper said.
The disappearance of CF has emerged after another man who fled the UK, while on bail for sectarian violence, has appeared in a video for the Pakistani Taliban.
In a High Court judgment, Lord Justice Lloyd Jones said CF had played a "substantial role" in the British network in Somalia and that his involvement was "undoubtedly real and substantial."
"I am entirely satisfied that the Secretary of State was and remains reasonably entitled to hold a reasonable suspicion and a reasonable belief that CF had engaged in terrorism-related activity," he added.
A man has been arrested and charged with trying to supply a false passport, money and a mobile phone to CF. Ali Said was arrested as he tried to board a EuroStar train to Brussels.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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