Channel route ‘open to anyone’ as ’19 suspected terrorists’ enter UK in a year
The Home Office has been blasted for leaving its boat route “open to anyone” after 19 suspected terrorists reportedly arrived in the UK via small boats in the last year. Security sources revealed the startling information to MailOnline, claiming that foreign nationals linked with groups including the so-called Islamic State were among those travelling to Britain from Northern France last year.
The publication claimed most of the terrorists who landed had since lodged asylum claims and cannot be deported due to human rights laws, with all 19 allegedly kept in taxpayer-funded hotels.
The sources also claimed that seven were already under “active investigation” in other countries when they arrived here, with some still under surveillance.
Craig Mackinlay, the Tory MP for South Thanet, near the Manston migrant processing centre and where a student accommodation building was last year unexpectedly announced to be a new home for asylum seekers, criticised the Home Office’s handling of the Channel crossings.
He told Express.co.uk in response to the Mail’s claims: “It is obvious that the dinghy route was open to exploitation by anyone with money to spend on people traffickers and it comes as little surprise that suspected terrorists with ISIS affiliations may have used this route to get into the UK.
“They will join the unknown number of criminals that may have similarly used this route to evade justice in their own countries.”
He argued that “all efforts to close this route must be pursued” and expressed his support for “the government’s efforts through the new Illegal Migration Bill.”
Mr Mackinlay added: “The French government could stamp out this trade in a fortnight by stopping the beach launchings and I remain perplexed that an advanced nation that recently projected military force into an entire nation in west Africa seems incapable of vigorously patrolling a mere few miles east and west of Calais.”
Natalie Elphicke, Conservative MP for Dover and Deal told Express.co.uk the reported terrorist crossings were “extremely concerning” and raise “serious issues of national security.” She urged ministers to urgently review this situation and make sure that public protection always comes first.”
Five of the known terror suspects who arrived last year are Iraqi, five are Iranian, four are Afghan, four are from Somalia and one is Libyan, according to the source.
The true identities of many of the suspected terrorists were reportedly established by British security services through the routine fingerprinting carried out on all Channel arrivals.
Police and MI5 are able to carry out intense surveillance of a maximum of only ten individuals due to the massive cost, with this type of surveillance on one suspect requiring 20 to 25 armed officers working shifts, costing more than £2million a year.
They are also reluctant to use evidence gained this way for fear of exposing their methods or vulnerable sources.
The security source said: “It’s a real problem and not something we’re able to easily stop. Once they’re here we can monitor them and limit any potential threat they pose but it adds to the overall surveillance burden.”
In a video posted on social media, Nigel Farage claimed to have predicted the incident, adding: “It isn’t that no one listened to me, it’s that they didn’t want to listen. Too difficult, too awkward – gosh, they might think we’re nasty people. And now we learn they can’t be deported because of the European Convention on Human Rights.”
