October 13, 2001	Saturday	Rajab 25, 1422

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LONDON, Oct 12: A Pakistan-born man is considering challenging the Thursday’s landmark rulling of the highest court of the land to deport him to Pakistan, suspected to be a threat to Britain’s security.

The man, Shafiq-ur-Rehman, said to be the UK head of an Islamic extremist group linked to Kashmir freedom fighters, is accused of recruiting militants for Jihad in Kashmir.

The decision of the court has wider implications for one who is seen as a threat to national security.

Mr Rehman denies allegations that he recruited British Muslims for Jihad in Kashmir. His case came to limelight in the late 90s when the then government ordered him to be deported to Pakistan on the ground that he was a threat to the national security.

The dispute then went to the highest court, which ruled that the then home secretary, who had ordered his deportation, was best placed to judge what national security required.

Mr Rehman’s lawyer said that the ruling would prevent people from exercising their freedom of expression.

He said the Muslims living in Britain would not be able to raise their concerns over issues such as Kashmir and Chechnya for fear of being deported. He came to the UK in 1993 to work as a religious minister. He married here and has two children.