Al-Qaida suspect deported

A BRITISH al-Qaida suspect was yesterday on his way to Britain after being deported from Zambia.

Haroon Rashid Aswat, 30, was arrested in Lusaka last month and questioned over possible links to terrorism.

Aswat, who grew up in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, home of July 7 bomber Mohammad Sidique Khan, was arrested under immigration laws, Zambia’s president said last week.

But he revealed that once Aswat was in custody authorities realised he was a terror suspect and, after talks between the US and British governments, it was agreed to deport him to Britain.

A British Foreign Office spokeswoman said Aswat had been receiving consular support.

He is understood to have been interrogated by both British and US agents while in Zambia.

The US is believed to be investigating claims he tried to set up a terrorist training camp.

Aswat’s estranged family in Britain reportedly fear the US will seek to extradite him and detain him in Guantanamo Bay.