ABSTRACT
On 18 November 1997, Islamic radicals killed 58 foreign tourists in Luxor, Egypt. President Mubarak then accused Britain and other countries of protecting terrorists: ‘terrorists are present and living on English territory and other countries, where they collect funds and plan attacks.’1 The British retorted: ‘We are not protecting terrorists. We unreservedly condemn all forms of terrorism. We are committed to taking action against anyone who uses the United Kingdom as a base for terrorist activity elsewhere.’2 Home Secretary Jack Straw added: ‘Tackling international terrorism is a top priority for this government. We already have tough anti-terrorism laws. And we intend to strengthen them further.’ He denied that Britain granted asylum to convicted terrorists, saying that asylum was only granted on the grounds established under the United Nations’ 1951 Convention on Refugees,3 which provided the possibility for politically persecuted individuals to seek shelter in countries (usually democracies) willing to safeguard their human rights.
