So what, exactly, were these people studying ?

"This is your last warning, pal.
Hand Your Bloody Course Work In On Time
or you'll be Back In The Taliban Madrassah
before you can say "Allah Akbar"
And let's see you try to feast your eyes on white women
exposing pert breasts and firm thighs there, eh !"

by johnofgwent

I thought I'd pop over and see what that beacon of impartiality in the proposed islamic caliphate once known as Manchester has to say on the day after Nick Griffin launched our Euro election Campaign.

And predictably they're bleating about demands that 10 of the 12 "students" arrested in haste following the stupidity of a certain former police chief who could not find an opaque container in which to carry his classified documents be deported.

Now to be fair to all concerned I must point out that The Times Online carried as a front page story the factual statement that all those arrested were later released without charge but as that article goes on to say they were released into the custody of the UK Border Agency for deportation on National Security Grounds. Quoting from the above Times Article :-

Mohammed Ayub, a lawyer for three of the men, called for an independent inquiry into Operation Pathway and said their deportation orders would be challenged. “Our clients have no criminal history, they were here lawfully on student visas and all were pursuing their studies and working part-time,” he said.

In my own opinion it's a bloody shame some bloody idiot used the phrase "On Grounds Of National Security" when perparing to chuck these buggers out of this country. Because too many of us know the words are oft used as a smokescreen when the truth is something is being done to whitewash professional incompetence and political humiliation. And there was no need to have used that toxic phrase at all, for the men's own lawyer admitted right there to the Times Newspaper that his clients were in breach of their entry conditions by virtue of working whilst here on a student visa which does not permit such activity.

But I have a more interesting question to ask. What were these men studying ?

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rightfully claims to be a place of academic excellence. I have personally studied and worked within the academic ranks to the highest level in hard science and from the days "when I wore a younger man's clothes" I have the publications in respected, peer-reviewed academic scientific publications to prove it.

And in these cash-strapped times I can hardly blame Vice-Chancellors for campaigning amongst the oil rich states of the middle east for the fabulously wealthy to send their heirs to this country - at fabulous expense - to get an education denied to the street urchins in their own despotic fiefdom.

The Asian News article contains quotations from the families of these men - quotations obtained during a live telephone link to Pakistan (paid for by George Galloway's Respect Party) at a press conference (paid for by "The British Libyan Solidarity Campaign" - whoever they are). One such quote says

The father of one student ... used his family savings to send his son to England to study and fears for his son.

So what, pray, did you send your son here to study that he could not have done in your own country where you could have kept a closer eye on his apparently wayward political compass, I ask ?

And while on the subject of dodgy student visas, it may be worthwhile reminding ourselves that a lot of the "Educational Establishments" actively seeking overseas students are a far cry from the "Lofty Spires of Oxbridge" and seem particularly unsuited to even having a decent lecture theatre in the style of RedBrick or even Post-Thatcher Poly-Renamed-Uni.

The Times points out that there are a great many "educational establishments" like this one "clustered in Manchester" and all actively curry favour with overseas countries in the hope of receiving large amounts of money in overseas student fees which are totally unregulated. And few of these establioshments seem to be adhering to new Immigration Office rules and regulations on the registration of, and maintainance of progress and attendance records for their students.

Next time we have to send the "truant officers" in to round up the absentees - as shown in the picture at the top of this blog entry - we should offer the College Principal a ride in the same van, and then a seat in the same cattle truck out of the country.