Ex-Minister Claims Terror Suspects Entered UK via Channel Crossings
Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick alleges dozens of terror suspects entered the UK via small boat crossings. He criticizes Labour's decision to scrap the Rwanda deportation plan, citing security concerns.
Robert Jenrick, former UK immigration minister and current Tory leadership candidate, has made a startling claim about the entry of terror suspects into the country. According to Jenrick, dozens of individuals with links to Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have crossed the English Channel in small boats, posing as refugees.
This revelation comes in the wake of Sir Keir Starmer's decision to abandon the Rwanda deportation plan, a controversial scheme that aimed to send asylum seekers to the African nation. Jenrick argues that this move has left Britain more vulnerable to potential terrorist attacks.
During his tenure as immigration minister from October 2022 to December 2023, Jenrick had access to sensitive security information. He asserts that in the year preceding his appointment, over a dozen known terror suspects entered the UK via small boats. He further claims that this number has since increased significantly.
"In the year before I was immigration minister, more than a dozen known terror suspects crossed the Channel on small boats. By now, that figure is well into the dozens."
Jenrick's allegations extend beyond terror suspects. He states that approximately 1,000 migrants who arrived in 2022 and 2023 have been linked to various forms of criminality. These individuals are reportedly placed on watchlists, but Jenrick expresses concern about the strain this places on law enforcement and security services.
The former minister's statements highlight the ongoing debate surrounding the UK's immigration policies and their impact on national security. The UK has been a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights since 1951, but Jenrick advocates for leaving this agreement, citing it as an obstacle to effective deportations.
However, a government source has dismissed Jenrick's claims, describing the Rwanda plan as a "hopeless gimmick" and pointing out that record numbers of illegal migrants arrived during Jenrick's time in office. The source also noted that since Labour took office, there has been a 20% decrease in small boat crossings this summer.
The controversy surrounding these allegations underscores the complex challenges facing the UK's immigration system and border security. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how future policies will address the delicate balance between national security concerns and international obligations towards asylum seekers and refugees.
