Pakistani students arrested in anti-terror raids can stay in UK
They win appeal against deportation
London: Two Pakistani students arrested in a series of anti-terrorism raids have won their fight to remain in the UK after successfully arguing that they would be at risk if they were deported.
The pair were among 11 men who were arrested in April last year amid fears that they were planning a bomb attack on targets in Manchester, but were subsequently released without charge.
Banned
The group was told that they would be banned from the United Kingdom, but two, Abid Naseer and Ahmad Faraz Khan, won their appeals against deportation after the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, sitting in secret, heard evidence that they would be at risk of detention and mistreatment if they were returned to Pakistan.
A third was told he would be permitted to return to the UK.
The commission ruled that "there is a long and well-documented history of disappearances, illegal detention and torture" in Pakistan.
The home secretary, Theresa May, said: "We are disappointed that the court has ruled that Abid Naseer and Ahmad Faraz Khan should not be deported to Pakistan, which we were seeking on national security grounds. As the court agreed, they are a security risk to the UK. We are now taking all possible measures to ensure they do not engage in terrorist activity."
