European rules on human rights that prevent some foreign terrorism suspects from being deported to their homelands are creating a "safe haven" for extremists in Britain, Britain's anti-terrorism watchdog said Thursday. Alex Carlile, a House of Lords member who is responsible for reviewing Britain's legal efforts to combat terrorism, sharply criticised European Court of Human Rights rulings he claims are hampering security.
The court has ruled that some foreign terror suspects can't be sent home if there is a risk they may be mistreated or tortured. In May, European law prevented the alleged ringleader of an al Qaeda bomb plot and another man regarded by authorities as a serious threat to national security from being sent by Britain to their native Pakistan.
"The effect is to make the UK a safe haven for some individuals whose determination is to damage the UK and its citizens, hardly a satisfactory situation," Carlile said in an annual report. Unlike many other European countries, Britain does not permit wiretaps to be used in evidence meaning it has been unable to prosecute several suspected terrorists. The European rulings means the UK has also been prevented from deporting some of them. To circumvent the European law, Britain has asked countries to sign agreements pledging not to mistreat suspects deported there, including Algeria, Jordan and Ethiopia. A pact struck with Libya is currently on hold after it was challenged by Britain's courts.
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