Wanted in Italy over illegal group ...but we say he can stay for ever
A REFUGEE was given indefinite leave to remain in the UK despite admitting he was wanted for terror in Italy.
Bakr Hamad, 43, was found guilty there of belonging to a jihadi group aligned to Islamic State and encouraging terror attacks across Europe. In his absence he was jailed for seven years and six months.
Just four months earlier he had applied for leave to remain in the UK.
Magistrates at Westminster heard he freely admitted in a Home Office form that he was wanted. Despite this, leave was granted.
Hamad, along with Zana Rahim, 37, from Derby, and Awat Hamasalih, 37, from Birmingham, were convicted in July 2019 in their absence at the Bolzano Assize Court.
This was over their memberoffences, ship of Rawti Shax, an international terrorist body with cells across the UK, Italy, Germany, Greece, Sweden, Finland, Norway and the Middle East.
Rawti Shax sought to carry out and promote acts of terror in the West and to overthrow the government of Kurdistan.
Hamad, who entered the UK illegally in the back of a lorry, was said to have tried to convert others to jihad activity and recruit Muslims to carry out attacks in Europe.
Rawti Shax’s leader Mullah Krekar, 63, was jailed in Norway in 2012 for terrorism but Italy claims Rahim, his son-in-law, Hamad and Hamasalih continued to pursue the aims of the terror group from their UK bases.
Italy wants to extradite the three after a failed bid in 2016.
Judge John Zani has ordered the extradition of Hamad and Rahim, saying it was “necessary and proportionate,” but the pair have now appealed to the High Court.
Judge Zani said in his judgment Hamad was refused asylum in 2003 but allowed a work permit until 2011 because of fears over returning him to Iraq due to instability.
Judge Zani wrote: “He applied again in March 2019 and was granted indefinite leave to remain.”
Despite claims he was not safe in Iraq he returned there for three months in 2014 to visit his mother. He was quizzed by MI5 on his return but allowed to go free.
Hamad said MI5 tried to recruit him as an informant, but he declined the offer.
The three admit belonging to the group but deny it is a terrorist organisation.
Hamasalih is serving a sixyear prison sentence in the UK for being an IS recruiter, and his extradition is still to be determined. Krekar is also facing extradition to Italy from Norway to serve a 12-year sentence for terrorism.
A Home Office spokeswoman: “We do not routinely comment on individual cases.”
‘He entered UK in back of a lorry and tried to convert others’