Mohammed Yaseen, a 34-year-old Iraqi national and convicted ISIS terrorist, is currently residing in a bail hostel close to Windsor Castle. Following a Channel crossing in a small boat, Yaseen successfully challenged his deportation by citing potential mistreatment if returned to Iraq.
The £500,000 legal gamble and the cost of monitoring Yaseen
The financial burden of Yaseen's presence in the United Kingdom is significant. According to The Mail on Sunday, the annual cost of providing taxpayer-funded accommodation, food, and monitoring for the former terrorist could reach approximately £85,000. This figure does not account for the potential legal escalation of his case.
Legal experts cited in the report suggest that if Yaseen continues to fight his asylum claim through to the European Court of Human Rights, the total cost to the taxpayer could escalate to as much as £500,000. This financial risk has drawn sharp criticism from politicians, including Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp MP, who argued that the public is "paying through the nose" to accommodate individuals who pose a clear threat.
From Ar-Rutbah bomb attacks to a Windsor Co-op
Yaseen's criminal history is marked by extreme violence dating back to his teenage years. A German court in 2020 heard that at age 16, he was involved in planting at least 13 bombs in the Ar-Rutbah region of Iraq.. After moving to Germany in 2015, he lived in Bottrup, North Rhine-Westphalia, where he worked as a hairdresser before being arrested in 2018.
The report notes that Yaseen was previously linked to the Al Qaeda group responsible for the execution of Briton Ken Bigley and later served a five-year prison term in Germany for his membership in ISIS. despite these convictions, Yaseen was recently observed by journalists shopping in a local Co-op near Windsor, appearing to move freely within the community under specific restrictions.
Proximity to the Royal Family at Windsor Great Park
The location of Yaseen's bail hostel has raised intense security concerns due to its closeness to the British Royal Family. He is living in the immediate vicinity of Windsor Castle, where King Charles resides, and is near the residences of the Prince and Princess of Wales at Forest Lodge. the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh also live nearby at Bagshot Park.
This proximity is particularly sensitive given a court's chilling assessment that Yaseen "posed a danger to the whole of the UK." While he is currently required to wear an ankle tag and observe a 6pm-6am curfew, there appear to be no restrictions preventing him from entering Windsor Great Park or approaching the castle grounds.
The Foreign Office's concerns over Iraqi mistreatment
The Home Office's attempts to deport Yaseen have been halted by his successful appeal based on human rights grounds. The report states that the Foreign Office has raised concerns that Yaseen could face "mistreatment" if he were forcibly returned to Iraq due to his history with terrorist organizations.
Yaseen's arrival in the UK was part of a larger group of 80 people intercepted by the Border Force crossing the Channel last December. although he initially provided officials with a false name while being housed in a migrant hotel in Basingstoke, routine biometric checks eventually revealed his true identity and his lengthy involvement in Islamic extremist ideology.
Comments 0