ABSTRACT
In the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the USA, and subsequent counter-terrorist operations in the UK, the relationship between the threat of international terrorism, immigration, and asylum more specifi cally, has received signifi cant interest. Fuelling what appears to be growing public fear that these issues are inextricably linked has been a plethora of stories printed in the tabloid media over the past two and a half years, publishing articles with bleak titles including: ‘Murder, terrorism, theft and violence: how asylum crisis affects life in Britain’,1 ‘Stop the ‘asylum’ killers getting into our country’,2 ‘Terror suspects safe in Britain’.3 The conclusion made in many of these articles was simply that the UK had become a de facto safe haven for terrorists because of lax immigration policies. Although there are indications that certain individuals have manipulated immigration laws to secure residence in the UK, there is no available evidence indicating that terrorists favour any specifi c form of entry onto British territory.
