BRITAIN : Seven foreign men are facing expulsion from Britain after they were detained yesterday in a new move on those deemed a threat to national security.
They were held in dawn raids in London and in Whalley Range, Manchester, in a joint operation between police and Immigration Service officials. Six were held at addresses in London.
It is understood at least three of the group - who are all believed to be Algerian - were among men acquitted in April of involvement in a plot to poison Londoners with ricin.
The Home Office confirmed the seven were held early this morning and transferred to prisons to await deportation.
Officials would not confirm details of their identities, but said the detentions had been made under the Immigration Act 1971.
Under proposed legislation, the home secretary would be able to detain and deport people on the grounds of "unacceptable behaviour", such as preaching in support of terrorism.
The raids came as the home secretary, Charles Clarke, announced plans for new laws cracking down on the "dissemination of terrorist publications", and a new offence of "glorifying terrorism" to carry up to five years in jail.
The Home Office spokeswoman said the man detained in Manchester is being held at HMP Full Sutton, a maximum security prison in open countryside in Pocklington, near York.
She said the six held in London were taken to HMP Long Lartin, a category B dispersal prison, in Evesham, Worcestershire.
"We can confirm that early today the Immigration Service detained seven individuals in accordance with the home secretary's powers to deport individuals whose presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good for reasons of national security."
At least three of the men are believed to be among those who were found not guilty on charges of conspiracy to murder and conspiring to cause a public nuisance at the Old Bailey in April.