Student visa scam in UK facilitated entry of Pak terror suspects

September 10th, 2009 LONDON - Pakistan-based terrorists are exploiting Britain's shoddy visa system to come to the country. Pakistan is considered by Britain as the No.1 base for Islamic extremists brainwashing potential terrorists.

July 4th, 2009 LONDON - British immigration officials in Pakistan devote just 11 minutes to scrutinize and pass a visa application in a country considered to be the hotbed of terrorism, the Telegraph has revealed. The revelation that officials are also not checking supporting evidence in thousands of applications from Pakistan and Afghanistan has fuelled security concerns.

June 21st, 2009 LONDON - Massive irregularities have been unearthed in Britain's immigration system with a shocking disclosure that more than one in every three successful visa applications from Pakistani citizens "lacked credibility". According to a secret internal report, which has been now leaked to The Sunday Times, travel permits were given to thousands of Pakistanis to visit Britain without even the most basic checks and investigations.

May 21st, 2009 LONDON - After the arrest of 11 Pakistan students for allegedly plotting terror attacks in Britain, it was revealed that those students had entered Britain on false student visas, but it seems that it was only a part of a larger conspiracy, as it has now been revealed that thousands of young Pakistan civilians had exploited a hole in Britain's immigration defences to enroll themselves as students at a network of fraud colleges. The Times has unearthed a major scam in which fraudsters have earned millions of dollars by luring students from Pakistan to get admission in sham colleges in Britain.

May 7th, 2009 LONDON - Three Indian illegal immigrants are reported to be behind the biggest visa scam in British history. According to The Telegraph, they were so confident of fooling the Home Office that one of them offered their services on a no win, no fee basis, a court has heard.

May 7th, 2009 LONDON - Three Indian illegal immigrants have been accused of running the biggest visa scam in British history. Ringleader Jatinder Sharma, 44, whose firm provided its customers with fake degree papers, references and CVs to help them enter Britain illegally, has already pleaded guilty to a number of immigration offences.

May 7th, 2009 LONDON - Three Indian illegal immigrants have been accused of running the biggest visa scam in British history. Ringleader Jatinder Sharma, 44, whose firm provided its customers with fake degree papers, references and CVs to help them enter Britain illegally, has already pleaded guilty to a number of immigration offences.

April 22nd, 2009 9 men caught in UK terror raids up for deportationLONDON — British authorities are seeking to deport nine terrorism suspects arrested earlier this month in a highly publicized police operation, officials said Tuesday. The men were among 12 people arrested as part of an anti-terror sweep across northern England on April 8.

April 14th, 2009 LONDON - Pakistan may not accept UK's decision to deport 12 Pakistani students, who were arrested on alleged charges of being involved in the Manchester terror plot. Pakistan High Commission sources have said that Pakistan would like first to be informed on what charges these Pakistanis were arrested, the Dawn reports.

April 14th, 2009 LONDON - A search of the homes of 11 terror suspects has revealed the presence of bags of sugar - a common ingredient used for making home-made bombs. According to The Sun, sugar can be mixed with chemicals to create an explosive for use in bombs and grenades.

April 11th, 2009 LONDON - At least two of the men suspected of being members of an alleged al-Qaeda cell were allowed to stay in Britain despite breaching conditions of their student visas, The Daily Telegraph has learnt. One man was stopped by immigration officials at Manchester Airport last week as he arrived from Pakistan, but was allowed to enter the country despite his visa documents being "all over the place", according to one source.

April 10th, 2009 LONDON - The 10 Pakistani nationals arrested in the United Kingdom for planning to carry out terror strikes in the country may have exploited the shortcomings in the visa regime as described by a British minister as "the major loophole in Britain's border controls." This is the first time Pakistanis on student visas have been arrested on such serious charges. Sources said that the arrests of 12 men in the north west of England on Wednesday were linked to a suspected plan to launch a devastating attack this weekend.

April 10th, 2009 LONDON - Pakistan has criticized Britain for its slack visa norms after it was disclosed that most of those who were nabbed during anti-terror raids in north-west of England were holding student visas. Pakistan's High Commissioner to Britain Wajid Shamsul Hasan said British authorities in were not doing enough to stop the illegal passage of people to the country.

April 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Getting a student visa to Britain will become much simpler. All you need to ensure is that you have got admission to a college there and will be able to support yourself financially during the course of the study.

March 10th, 2009 LONDON - Troubled British singer Amy Winehouse's plans for a massive American comeback gig were shattered Sunday night after she was denied a US work visa. Mirror.co.uk reports that Winehouse was due to play at the Coachella festival, California, next month but was told her entry would be blocked because she has been charged with assaulting a fan.