An aid agency has warned that new laws on support for asylum seekers could drive some asylum seekers into the hands of terrorist or criminal gangs.

The recent arrest of four Algerian asylum seekers on terrorist charges in Manchester highlighted growing concerns that UK asylum laws may pose a threat to our national security.

And Migrant Helpline, who have seen the number of asylum seekers they help fall by 98 per cent since the new laws came in, believes an increase in numbers of rejected applicants, left without accommodation or support could make them targets for criminal or extremist groups.

Migrant Helpline's head of development Tony Fuller said: "It's an impending crisis both in terms of human tragedies and the security risk of vulnerable people being targeted."

"I don't want to say that asylum seekers are potential terrorists, but if 100,000 people are entering this country a year, there will be a significant number of undesirable people. And when people are desperate they will turn to anyone who offers them help."

"The potential for exploitation of these people once they are denied support is obvious. With nowhere else to turn they are vulnerable to criminal gangs, and some extremist groups in London."

"These people have no address so should the Home Office or police want to contact them for some reason, they cannot be found."

January 30, 2003 11:00