Monday, August 22 2005 15:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: More than 180 people arrested as suspected terrorists in Britain since 2001 were asylum seekers given safe haven in the country, official reports indicated yesterday (Aug 21, 2005).

According to the Home Office records, 182 of the 717 men and women arrested as terror suspects since 2001 had claimed asylum in the UK.

While their applications are processed, all are entitled to state benefits, such as free housing, spending money and access to free education and healthcare worth up to 15,000 pounds per annum.

They have also benefited from tens of thousands of pounds in free legal aid to pursue claims that they would be persecuted in their home countries if forced to return.

Sir Andrew Green, former British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Chairman of Migration Watch, an independent think tank said, "This is clear evidence of the abuse of the asylum system by potential terrorists. We need a much tougher and more realistic approach to applications from countries which we know to be potential sources of terrorism."

Earlier this year, it emerged that a number of those charged in a plot to target Britain with the deadly poison were asylum seekers.

Among them was Algerian-born Kamel Bourgass, the gang's ringleader. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison for his part in the plot and also given life sentence for murder of Stephen Oake, a Special Branch detective, during his arrest in Manchester.