Clarke unveils deportation rules

The home secretary has published the grounds on which foreigners considered to be promoting terrorism can be deported or excluded from the UK. Charles Clarke issued the list of “unacceptable behaviour” by those said to indirectly threaten public order, national security, or the rule of law. The grounds, drawn up after the 7 July London bombings, include provoking and glorifying terrorism.

But civil liberty groups fear deportees could be tortured in their homelands. Amnesty’s Halya Gowan said: “The vagueness and breadth of the definition of ‘unacceptable behaviour’ and ‘terrorism’ can lead to further injustice and risk further undermining human rights protection in the UK. And the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) says the list of “unacceptable behaviours” is “too wide and unclear”.

BBC News, 24 August 2005