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Monday, 19 August, 2002, 01:50 GMT 02:50 UK
New fight for Afghan family
The Ahmadis
The Ahmadis claim they were tortured by the Taleban
The lawyer representing an Afghan family deported from Britain is considering a fresh legal challenge against the decision.

Farid Ahmadi, 33, his wife Feriba, 24, and their two young children had sought sanctuary in a mosque at Lye, near Stourbridge, West Midlands, but were forcibly removed by police after they were discovered.

They had fled from Afghanistan, claiming they were tortured and persecuted by the Taleban.

But the Home Office refused them permission to stay in Britain, saying Germany was a good enough place for them to seek refuge.


The Home Office needs to explain why the family have been treated as they have been

Pierre Makhlouf

Last week they were flown out of the UK and sent to Munich.

Now, Pierre Makhlouf, who fought the deportation of the Ahmadi family, claims that despite the Home Office vowing to seek assurances about their treatment - this has not been done.

And he says he may launch a new legal battle to bring the family back to Britain on the basis that the Home Office has not kept to its side of the deal.

Mr Makhlouf, of the Hackney Law Centre in east London, said the Home Office told the court the authorities in Bavaria would give the family permission to stay in their local community and their children could go to a local school.

'Upset and disturbed'

But after staying at a reception centre in Munich the family has now been moved to a detention centre camp in nearby Garmich.

They have also been given only temporary permission to stay in Germany.

Mr Makhlouf said: "The Home Office needs to explain why the family have been treated as they have been.

"Either the Home Office deliberately misled the court when giving assurances as to how the family would be treated, or they were given information from the German authorities that was wrong or that they did not check out.

"We want the Home Office to disclose what information they received from Germany, on which they based the court case."

Bigotry

He said the couple were "very upset and disturbed" by what had happened.

"When they returned to the detention centre there was blood on the walls from a fight earlier.

"Mrs Ahmadi's mental health has declined rapidly."

The family fled to Britain in 2000. They spent seven months in Germany but claim to have suffered racism and bigotry there too, so moved again to the UK.

A Home Office spokesman said: "The type of accommodation provided is entirely a matter for the German authorities.

"There is no question that we tried to mislead the court at all."


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See also:

14 Aug 02 | England
13 Aug 02 | England
13 Aug 02 | England
11 Aug 02 | Breakfast
02 Aug 02 | England
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