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Asylum seeker's last-minute aid
CHRISTIAN supporters of an Afghan asylum seeker living in Sheffield secured a last minute reprieve against his deportation - minutes before his plane was due to take off.
Mokhtar Hussain, aged 21, who was living in Machon Bank, Nether Edge, says he fears for his safety if he is forced to return to the war-torn country.
When he was a teenager his father was killed when the family home was torched by the Taliban after he fell out with them.
Mokhtar suffered severe burns in the fire and was flown to Sheffield for surgery. He still suffers nightmares about the horrific incident.
While in the city, he converted from Islam to Christianity - which he believes could make him a target for extremists in Afghanistan. Mokhtar, who had been taken by immigration officials to a detention centre, was due to be flown back to Afghanistan on Tuesday.
But just 50 minutes before his plane was due to leave London Heathrow, an injunction was granted by the High Court on behalf of his supporters from St Thomas's Church, Philadelphia, Sheffield, where he is a parishioner.
It is not known whether Mokhtar was already on the plane when the decision was made. Jubilant churchgoers now hope to go ahead with a judicial review into the Mokhtar's deportation.
Supporter Jonathan Bennett, from Bradway, said: "The situation in Afghanistan is very difficult for Christians, he is in very real danger upon his return because of his conversion. The whole church is praying the decision to deport will be reversed. We are funding the court case - which will probably cost 1,500 - ourselves."
Mr Bennett said Mokhtar, who is part of a "sizeable" group of Afghan and Iranian people worshipping at the church, started attending in 2006 and was baptised in 2007.
Rev Paul Maconochie, of St Thomas's Church, said: "Mokhtar is part of a growing, vibrant and highly committed Christian community of Iranians and Afghans at church.
"He did not take the decision to convert lightly, rather it was based in a powerful encounter with God. We are convinced that Mokhtar would be in significant danger were he to be returned to Afghanistan."
Mokhtar was refused asylum in 2005 and was not granted leave to appeal by the Home Office. His supporters hope that following a judicial review, an appeal can go ahead.
A spokeswoman for the UK Border Agency made no specific comment about the case.
But she added: "The Government has made it clear that it will take action against those who have no right to be here - last year we removed one person every eight minutes. We would not remove anyone who has an application or appeal outstanding."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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