Terror suspects

Terror suspects’ appeal rejected

Terror suspects’ appeal rejected

Appeals by five suspected international terrorists held without trial have been rejected by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission.

The five men have been detained without trial at Belmarsh prison in London under emergency powers introduced following the September 11th attacks in the US.

The commission judges ruled in favour of the government against five suspects on Wednesday. A further five suspects are expected to hear the outcome of their appeals later today.

The Home Office insists that it has enough evidence to keep the men behind bars. The suspects include Jamal Ajouaou and Palestinian asylum seeker Mahmoud Abu Rideh. The remaining eight have not been named.

Lawyers for the suspected terrorists claimed the evidence against them was “fragmentary and incomplete”.

Government lawyers are only required to prove that there was “reasonable grounds to suspect” the detainees have terror links.

Some of the men have been detained since December 2001 under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act.

A small group gathered outside the court in central London on Wednesday to protest against internment before the verdicts were announced.