A victory for liberty
Two men suspected of terrorist-related activities have won a landmark High Court battle against government use of secret evidence to deny them bail.
Two judges ruled that a person cannot be denied bail solely on the basis of secret evidence.
Human rights solicitors have described the judgement as a “historic” victory.
Special Immigration Appeals Commission lawyers said they would go to the Court of Appeal as the men – branded security risks – could now potentially be freed.
The ruling represents victory for a Pakistani student facing removal from the UK, who had been refused bail on the basis of secret evidence, and an Algerian national – known as U – whose bail was revoked.
The 23-year-old Pakistani student, referred to as Xc, was one of 10 arrested in April 2009 in north west England.
He was later released by police, but immediately re-arrested and held pending deportation to Pakistan as a “threat to national security”.
lawyers appeared for the SSHD not SIAC.
Thanks Nod.
That particular version of the article wasn’t clear about that.
It has since been modified.
(for those interested in tracking modifications of BBC articles, see News Sniffer.)
For more on the earlier SIAC hearing of XC see http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2009/08/05/secret-evidence-in-the-case-of-the-north-west-10-terror-suspects/
More about secret evidence on the site of the Coalition Against Secret Evidence is at http://coalitionagainstsecretevidence.com/
Those opposed to the use of secret evidence, which obstructs the judicial process, can petition the PM at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/secret-evidence/
Thanks David.