Iraqi asylum seeker wins damages over detention

AN IRAQI asylum seeker who was acquitted of terrorist- related offences has won his false imprisonment claim against the government.

The 30-year-old man, who can only be identified as HXA, sued the Home Office for damages at London's High Court over his detention between 26 January and 23 November, 2005.

The amount of the award will be assessed at a later date, if not agreed, unless the government succeeds in its planned appeal against Mr Justice King's finding on liability.

At the hearing of the case last July, the judge was told that, after arriving clandestinely by lorry in the UK in July 2000, HXA's asylum application was refused but he was granted exceptional leave to remain until October 2005.

In January 2005, HXA was told that he would be deported on national security reasons because he had given support to the insurgency in Iraq, had travelled there in 2004 and engaged in anti-coalition activities, and was in contact with individuals in the UK assessed to be operating to an al-Qaeda agenda.

In February 2005, HXA appealed to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission and, in November, was released from detention when the Home Office withdrew the decision to make a deportation order – but he was immediately re-arrested by the police on suspicion of having committed offences under the Terrorism Act.