Convicted Terrorist Snapped Returning to UK by Small Boat
Rebwar Hamad, 48, an Iraqi terrorist convicted abroad, has been jailed for over two years after sneaking back into Britain by small boat. This is his second illegal entry, stoking fresh security alarm.
Hamad was caught on September 19 when the RNLI intercepted his dinghy arriving at Dover from France. He had just months earlier been freed from an Italian jail for terrorism offences.
Paid People Smugglers Over £1,000 for Risky Channel Crossing
After serving time in Italy, Hamad was ordered to leave within seven days. His UK visa bid was denied, leaving him only one desperate option: pay people smugglers €1,200 (£1,050) to ferry him illegally across the Channel.
When hauled in by immigration officers at Margate police station, Hamad refused to say a word. He later pleaded guilty to entering without valid clearance. Canterbury Crown Court locked him up for two years and three months.
CPS Condemns ‘Blatant Disregard’ for UK Borders
The Crown Prosecution Service blasted Hamad’s brazen break of immigration laws after a terrorism conviction abroad. Peter Cockrill of CPS said:
“Rebwar Hamad showed a blatant disregard for immigration rules by coming to the UK illegally for a second time and after serving a prison sentence for terrorism offences in Italy. The CPS argued in court that for these reasons he should receive the toughest sentence possible.”
Officials vow to crack down hard on people smuggling gangs and keep offenders behind bars.
From Refugee to Repeat Offender
- Hamad first arrived in Britain in 2001 and gained indefinite leave to remain.
- Convicted in absentia in Italy for terrorism in 2019, he was extradited there in 2020 to serve his sentence.
- Denied a UK visa on release, he risked a perilous Channel crossing instead.
This alarming case shows the ongoing challenges at UK borders amid a surge in small boat migrant landings. Authorities remain on high alert to stop repeat offenders slipping through the net.
