Britain: Asylum seeker with alleged links to Houthis investigated after posting weapons images online
Arab Sea Newspaper - News Updates
Arabian Sea - Yemen - Follow-ups: British authorities have opened an investigation into an asylum seeker residing at the former Wethersfield Air Base in Essex, after he was accused of alleged links to the Houthi rebel group in Yemen and posting photos of himself holding weapons on social media platforms, according to the British newspaper Daily Mail. Local residents reported that they informed the police about the man, believed to be from Yemen, after multiple photos of daggers and rifles appeared on his Snapchat account, some in Yemen, and others inside the base, which was previously the target of anti-immigration protests. Some photos show the man holding an AK47 assault rifle in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, while others show him inside the grounds of the Wethersfield site. He also shared a screenshot of a conversation in Arabic referring to his plans to cross the Channel from "Calais to Britain by boat," according to "Yemen Shabab." Essex Police confirmed to the Daily Mail that they "visited the person living in the Wethersfield area" to check his posts, while the Home Office confirmed that it was "aware of this individual and appropriate action has been taken." However, sources indicate that the asylum seeker remains detained inside the airbase, which has been used to house migrants since 2023. Commenting on this, Nathan Robbins, interim chairman of the Braintree Reform Society, pointed out that a member of the society reported the matter to Essex Police last April, but considered that "the police did not make sufficient efforts, and the man should have been deported before he had the opportunity to reach British soil," adding that the posts on Snapchat revealed his sympathy for the Houthis and his interest in deadly weapons. It is noteworthy that the Houthi group is not a banned organization in the United Kingdom, although its members are classified as terrorists by other countries such as the United States. Other photos posted by the man on his account include footage of Houthi leaders on television broadcasts, and others showing him holding a rifle at a checkpoint inside Houthi areas. Wethersfield Air Base, a former Royal Air Force base, has been a site for housing asylum seekers since 2023, and an additional 445 asylum seekers were planned to be hosted this year, bringing the total to 1,245. In official statements, a Home Office spokesperson said: "We collect biometric data from all arrivals on small boats and at the start of the asylum claim, and then compare it with immigration, security and crime databases, to ensure the safety of communities." An Essex Police spokesperson added: "Last May, we received a report about posts by a person living in Wethersfield. All posts were comprehensively assessed and the individual concerned was visited in coordination with the competent authorities, and we continue to communicate with staff to ensure the safety of the community." This case comes amid ongoing controversy over the use of Wethersfield Air Base to house migrants, which has been the target of anti-immigration protests since it opened in 2023, and security and safety issues have raised the concern of the local community and the British media.
