LONDON, Sept 12: The asylum policy of the British government suffered a serious setback after a high court judge ruled here that the home secretary acted illegally when he ordered the deportation of an Afghan family to Germany.

The family is now likely to be returned to Britain following a landmark decision by one of the highest courts of the country.

Mr Blunkett, the home secretary, reacted angrily to court decision and warned that the ruling would be exploited by “every illegal immigrant and failed asylum-seeker”.

Farid Ahmadi, 33, his wife Feriba, 25, had sought sanctuary in a mosque to avoid deportation after their bid for asylum in the United Kingdom had failed on the grounds that they had earlier taken refuge in Germany.

The couple with their two children aged five and three, were forcibly flown back to Germany in a specially chartered plane from a military base in West London.

The case of the Afghan family has attracted huge media attention and it was seen as hardening of stance by the British government over asylum seeking in the country.

The family fled to Germany from Afghanistan in 2000, claiming they had been tortured by the Taliban regime. In June, 2001, they came to Britain, complaining of racist treatment in Germany. The government here is seeking leave to appeal against this decision.