By IslamOnline.net & News Agencies
LONDON — The release without charges of all eleven people, including Pakistani students, detained on claims of plotting a "major terrorist plot" prompted Britain's terror watchdog to launch an investigation into the issue, with Islamabad demanding an apology.
"I shall be requesting input into these events from all involved as soon as possible. This will include those arrested and their legal representatives," said Lord Carlile, the reviewer of terrorism legislation.
He added the probe will look into the April 8 terror raids in northwest England and arrests of twelve students, including eleven Pakistanis.
"The questions I shall raise will centre on the nature and extent of the use of the Terrorism Act 2000 and connected legislation used for the purposes of the operation."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown had claimed the high;-publicized raids foiled a "major terrorist plot".
But after weeks in custody, police released all students without charges.
"These people are not terrorists," Hamza Shenwari, the only Briton detainee, said about the Pakistani students.
"They work nine to five, they are very religious. We have got used to it here."
Shenwari, a 21-year student and a delivery driver, said British authorities are playing the terror card from time to time.
"The police got bad information and they are just using it to scare everyone. It is just scare tactics," he said.
"It has become a daft game… But now people are afraid to talk and joke in case they get accused of being in Al-Qaeda. It is creating paranoia."
Scare Tactics
The Pakistani government confirmed Thursday it would provide legal assistance to the students against British attempts to deport them.
"We will assist them, if need be," Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told a press briefing.
He said Islamabad was in close touch with British authorities on the issue.
"We hope to resolve this issue to our mutual satisfaction."
Pakistan's High Commissioner to London Wajid Shamsul Hasan urged British authorities to compensate the students, not deport them.
"It is clear these people have neither violated UK law nor committed a crime. Why should they be punished," he told The Financial Times.
"It seems the arrests took place on the basis of a hoax," added the diplomat.
"(British authorities) owe an apology not only to these boys but also to the government of Pakistan for having not done enough homework."
Following the raids, Brown accused the Pakistani government of not doing enough to fight terrorism, sparking a war of words between officials from both sides.
"The men should be compensated," maintained the Pakistani envoy to London.
Parents of the students have warned that the deportation would ruin the future of their innocent sons.
"I appeal to the British government not to ruin the future of such bright youths in the name of suspicion only," Nasarullah Jan Khattak, a father of one of the students, has told IslamOnline.net.
"What if the British police find no clue against him? Where will he stand for the rest of his life?"
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