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Wanted man may have fled in veil Wanted man in veil 'speculation'
(40 minutes later)
Police seeking a man over the murder of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky are considering the theory he may have fled the UK dressed as a veiled Muslim woman. The possibility that a man wanted over the murder of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky may have fled the UK in a veil was "pure speculation", a minister has said.
It is understood West Yorkshire Police - who have not commented on reports about the veil theory - regard it only as one of a number of possibilities. Mustaf Jamma reportedly evaded checks at Heathrow last Christmas to return to his native Somalia.
The wanted man, Mustaf Jamma, is the brother of Yusuf Jamma who was found guilty of the Pc's murder this week. Shadow home secretary David Davis said tighter border checks were needed.
Mustaf Jamma is believed to be in his native Somalia. Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said computerised exit controls were planned but current intelligence-led measures were effective.
The 26-year-old was released from jail six months before Pc Beshenivsky was killed. Visual checks are carried out on people arriving in the UK but BAA, which owns and operates Heathrow airport, said it was the responsibility of individual airlines to confirm the identity of passengers at check-in and boarding gates.
He was considered for deportation after his release but was allowed to stay in the UK because Somalia was thought too dangerous. The Home Office said police and immigration officers carried out checks on those leaving the UK on an "intelligence-led basis".
Paul Beshenivsky said Mustaf Jamma should have been deported Mr Byrne said keeping paper records of all arrivals and departures, which were scrapped by the Conservatives for EU travel in 1992 and for the rest of the world by Labour in 1998, was no longer suitable.
Some newspaper reports have suggested Mr Jamma stole his sister's passport and wore a full niqab (a veil that totally obscures the face) to evade checks at Heathrow airport between Christmas Day last year and New Year's Day. The government wants to use details stored in biometric passports to introduce electronic border controls from 2009.
Pc Beshenivsky's widower condemned human rights laws for preventing Mustaf Jamma's deportation. 'Standard practice'
Paul Beshenivsky told the Daily Mail: "It is absolutely disgusting that this man - a criminal who acts like an animal - is shown human rights. What about my kids, my wife, my family?" The wanted man, Mustaf Jamma, is the brother of Yusuf Jamma who this week was found guilty of Pc's Beshenivsky's murder in Bradford.
Shadow home secretary David Davis said the fact that anyone could be allowed through passport control wearing a veil was "barely credible". Some newspaper reports have suggested the 26-year-old stole his sister's passport after he was put on police wanted lists and wore a full niqab, a veil that totally obscures the face, to evade capture at the airport.
It seems airport security were only carrying out random checks on people leaving the country and that needs to be looked at Muslim Council of Britain Mr Byrne told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "We don't have exit controls around the clock, around all of our borders; what we do make sure we do is respond immediately to police requests."
It's a relatively quick thing to look at somebody's passport, look at their face and wave them through if they are who they say there are David Davis, shadow home secretary
He said it was "standard practice" for immigration officers to ask woman to lift their veils.
"If immigration officers have got suspicions they fingerprint people and check them against our databases," he added.
"That's exactly how we caught 750 offenders in one month alone - November - at Heathrow."
Shadow home secretary David Davies said the fact that anyone could be allowed through controls wearing a veil was "barely credible".
"Doing so when an All Persons Bulletin for murder has been issued demonstrates that our borders are not just porous but non-existent," he added."Doing so when an All Persons Bulletin for murder has been issued demonstrates that our borders are not just porous but non-existent," he added.
He said the government should reintroduce some form of exit control ahead of any new scheme.
"It's a relatively quick thing to look at somebody's passport, look at their face and wave them through if they are who they say there are," he said.
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg has said if the reports are true it "beggars belief" that there are no visual facial checks when a person leaves the country at an airport.Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg has said if the reports are true it "beggars belief" that there are no visual facial checks when a person leaves the country at an airport.
The Home Office, which is responsible for immigration, said visual checks were always carried out on people arriving in the country but checks on those leaving were done on an "intelligence-led basis".
BAA, which owns and operates Heathrow airport, said it was the responsibility of individual airlines to confirm the identity of passengers at check-in and boarding gates.
'Random checks'
A spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain said: "People coming into the country are asked to lift their veils so identity can be confirmed.
"It seems airport security were only carrying out random checks on people leaving the country and that needs to be looked at."
The BBC News website was contacted by one reader who said his wife was always asked to remove her veil when checking in at UK airports.The BBC News website was contacted by one reader who said his wife was always asked to remove her veil when checking in at UK airports.
Jonathan Marshall said there would not be a problem "provided that it is a female who conducts this identity check in a private location - which has always so far been the case".Jonathan Marshall said there would not be a problem "provided that it is a female who conducts this identity check in a private location - which has always so far been the case".
Armed raidArmed raid
West Yorkshire Police Federation chairman Tom McGhie said he and his colleagues had concerns over the way Mustaf Jamma was apparently able to leave the country. It is understood West Yorkshire Police - who have not commented on reports about the veil theory - regard it only as one of a number of possibilities.
He said: "We have concerns that someone who was wanted for a serious offence was able to avoid detection and escape the country by this type of subterfuge." Paul Beshenivsky said Mustaf Jamma should have been deported
Mustaf Jamma was released from jail six months before Pc Beshenivsky was killed.
He was considered for deportation after his release but was allowed to stay in the UK because Somalia was thought too dangerous.
Pc Beshenivsky's widower, Paul, condemned human rights laws for preventing Mustaf Jamma's deportation.
And West Yorkshire Police Federation chairman Tom McGhie said he and his colleagues had concerns over the way Mustaf Jamma was apparently able to leave the country.
On Tuesday the jury in the trial of four men over 38-year-old Pc Beshenivsky's death was discharged after failing to reach a verdict on a final count of robbery.On Tuesday the jury in the trial of four men over 38-year-old Pc Beshenivsky's death was discharged after failing to reach a verdict on a final count of robbery.
Three men have been found guilty of killing the officer, who was shot after an armed raid in Bradford in 2005. Another man had earlier admitted murder.Three men have been found guilty of killing the officer, who was shot after an armed raid in Bradford in 2005. Another man had earlier admitted murder.
The jury could not decide if Raza Ul-Haq Aslam, 25 - who was cleared of murder, manslaughter and firearms offences - was guilty of robbery, and a re-trial was ordered. The jury could not decide if Raza Ul-Haq Aslam, 25 - who was cleared of murder, manslaughter and firearms offences - was guilty of robbery, and a retrial was ordered.
As well as Mustaf Jamma another man called Piran Ditta Khan, whom the prosecution alleged was the "architect of the robbery", remains on the run from police.As well as Mustaf Jamma another man called Piran Ditta Khan, whom the prosecution alleged was the "architect of the robbery", remains on the run from police.