George Galloway was detained at Gatwick Airport under the Terrorism Act, his party has said.
The 71-year-old was stopped by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command at London Gatwick Airport on Saturday (27 September).
The former MP was accompanied by his wife having returned on a flight from Abu Dhabi after initially travelling to Moscow, according to the Herald Scotland.
“We can confirm that on Saturday, 27 September counter terrorism officers at Gatwick Airport stopped a man in his 70s and a woman in her 40s under Schedule 3 of the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019,” a spokesperson for the Met Police told the Herald.
“Neither of them were arrested and they were allowed on their way.”
The Workers Party of Britain confirmed Galloway had been detained.
In a statement on X, the party said: “At 11am we were informed by police officers in Gatwick that our party leader George Galloway and his wife have been detained at the airport @sussex_police @BTP.”
According to the Investigatory Powers Commissioners Office (IPCO): “Schedule 3 to the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 gives police the power to stop, question, search, and detain a person at a UK port to determine whether they are involved in hostile activity. The powers also allow an examining officer to retain, copy, use and destroy an article which is found during a search.
“The Investigatory Powers Commissioner (IPC) may authorise retention and use of an article found during a search. This includes authorising retention and use of a copy of an article that consists of or includes confidential material. The IPC can also authorise destruction of any such articles. The IPC also reviews and reports on the operation of the Schedule.”
More to follow…
