Begg banned from travel

Feb 17 2005 By James Cartledge, Evening Mail

Ancient Government powers have been dusted off to stop a former terror suspect from Birmingham travelling abroad, it has emerged.

Former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg has been told he cannot leave Britain because he is still considered a threat to national security.

The order was made under the Royal Prerogative, historic powers which allow decisions to be taken without Parliamentary debate.

But the decision was today condemned by civil rights campaigners and Mr Begg's father, retired bank manager Azmat Begg, of Smethwick.

He said: "Moazzam received a letter from the Foreign Office saying he would be unable to travel. It makes no sense, if he was a terrorist he should stand trial in a court." Moazzam Begg, a father of four from Sparkhill, was among four British Guantanamo detainees released earlier this year.

Solicitors for two of the others, Martin Mubanga and Feroz Abbasi, have already confirmed they were also subject to travel bans under the Royal Prerogative. It is only the 13th time the power has been used since 1947, the last time was in 1976.

But a spokesman for civil rights group Liberty said the decision sent society into a "nether world" where people's freedoms could be trampled on.

He said: "The right to travel should only be denied if is proven that a person presents a danger.

"We are dealing with suspicion of terrorism rather than proof."

The Home Office refused to comment for security reasons.