Father of five loses court battle over 'terror link' control order

REASONABLE grounds exist for suspecting that a father of five is the leader of a terrorist-related group in the UK, the High Court ruled yesterday.

A judge said the Home Secretary had reasonable grounds to suspect that BM, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was the leader of a group in Ilford, Essex, "involved in promoting terrorism". The suspicion was that the Sheffield-born man, now divorced, was "involved in this group with his brothers A and B".

Mr Justice Saunders, sitting in London, rejected submissions by BM's lawyers that a control order, made in May 2009, restricting his movements was no longer necessary as the evidence against him was "historical" and it did not support the inference that he posed a current threat.

But the judge said: "The clear inference in this case, on the basis of the reasonable suspicion held by (the Home Secretary] as to (BM's] activities, is that he will continue those activities if under no restraint."

On the basis of that reasonable suspicion, BM "represents a considerable danger to public safety".

The judge said: "He is an organiser. He has shown that he has the means to contact senior al-Qaeda figures and he has had explosives training.

"I have no doubt that, acting as I must, on the matters where reasonable suspicion has been established, that control order is necessary to protect the public."

Mr Justice Saunders acknowledged the restrictions imposed under BM's order were considerable.

But he ruled the restrictions were proportionate.

According to Home Office figures, there are currently 12 control orders in force, nine in respect of British citizens.