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| The convert and the control order | The convert and the control order |
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| Cerie Bullivant speaks exclusively to the BBC By Dominic Casciani BBC News A man who last year sparked a national manhunt has spoken exclusively to the BBC, saying he is not the man the security services say he is. | Cerie Bullivant speaks exclusively to the BBC By Dominic Casciani BBC News A man who last year sparked a national manhunt has spoken exclusively to the BBC, saying he is not the man the security services say he is. |
| On a summer's day in 2006, Cerie Bullivant was laying a patio with friends. | On a summer's day in 2006, Cerie Bullivant was laying a patio with friends. |
| Plain-clothed police officers approached, asked him to confirm his name and handed him documents. They had served a counter-terrrorism control order. | Plain-clothed police officers approached, asked him to confirm his name and handed him documents. They had served a counter-terrrorism control order. |
| The Home Secretary had concluded the British convert to Islam was an extremist who may head to Iraq. He could become a suicide bomber - and had to be stopped. | The Home Secretary had concluded the British convert to Islam was an extremist who may head to Iraq. He could become a suicide bomber - and had to be stopped. |
| CONTROL ORDERS Special powers introduced to restrict a suspect's movements. They include tags, bans on contacts and curfews. They rely on secret evidence in cases where police say they can't charge someone with an offence Q&A: Control orders | CONTROL ORDERS Special powers introduced to restrict a suspect's movements. They include tags, bans on contacts and curfews. They rely on secret evidence in cases where police say they can't charge someone with an offence Q&A: Control orders |
| But today, after a collapsed marriage, self-harm incidents and legal challenges involving an MI5 witness, Cerie Bullivant is walking around a free man. | But today, after a collapsed marriage, self-harm incidents and legal challenges involving an MI5 witness, Cerie Bullivant is walking around a free man. |
| Over the course of three months, an Old Bailey jury has accepted his reasons for going on the run - and then a High Court judge quashed a fresh order to tag him and impose a curfew. | Over the course of three months, an Old Bailey jury has accepted his reasons for going on the run - and then a High Court judge quashed a fresh order to tag him and impose a curfew. |
| "The last two years of my life have been utterly devastated and controlled," he told the BBC in his home in Dagenham, east London. | "The last two years of my life have been utterly devastated and controlled," he told the BBC in his home in Dagenham, east London. |
| "It devastates and dismantles every aspect of you life and what makes you a person. Friends would not talk to me anymore. I had only been put on it because of association - and the same thing could happen to them." | "It devastates and dismantles every aspect of you life and what makes you a person. Friends would not talk to me anymore. I had only been put on it because of association - and the same thing could happen to them." |
| I'm not a threat to national security - I'm British, I was born in this country - I have never been involved in anything that would harm the security of this country or the security of other countries Cerie Bullivant | I'm not a threat to national security - I'm British, I was born in this country - I have never been involved in anything that would harm the security of this country or the security of other countries Cerie Bullivant |
| The story of Cerie Bullivant begins in 2004. It was a difficult time in his life, drifting through bit jobs and struggling to care for his ill mother. A couple of old Asian schoolmates said Islam offered answers. The Harrogate-born 25-year-old was keen to learn - and he soon converted. | The story of Cerie Bullivant begins in 2004. It was a difficult time in his life, drifting through bit jobs and struggling to care for his ill mother. A couple of old Asian schoolmates said Islam offered answers. The Harrogate-born 25-year-old was keen to learn - and he soon converted. |
| "For me it was the best moment of my life," he says. "I'm not the sort of person who speaks of great white lights - but that was the first time in my life I had felt a lifting. I had made the right decision." | "For me it was the best moment of my life," he says. "I'm not the sort of person who speaks of great white lights - but that was the first time in my life I had felt a lifting. I had made the right decision." |
| He lost some of his old friends - but made new ones. Among those were two brothers, Lamine and Ibrahim Adam, whom Bullivant met playing football in 2005. | He lost some of his old friends - but made new ones. Among those were two brothers, Lamine and Ibrahim Adam, whom Bullivant met playing football in 2005. |
| Lamine was associated with a group of would-be bombers, one of which was his other brother, who would later be jailed in the massive "Operation Crevice" prosecution. Lamine, a London Tube driver, had considered joining the new jihad in Afghanistan, according to court evidence. | Lamine was associated with a group of would-be bombers, one of which was his other brother, who would later be jailed in the massive "Operation Crevice" prosecution. Lamine, a London Tube driver, had considered joining the new jihad in Afghanistan, according to court evidence. |
| Airport stop | Airport stop |
| In January 2006 police officers stopped Bullivant and the Adam brothers from heading to Syria. | In January 2006 police officers stopped Bullivant and the Adam brothers from heading to Syria. |
| Close: Cerie Bullivant's mother was unaware of the order MI5 assessed the trio were really heading for Iraq. Security service papers suggest "martyrdom operations" - suicide bombings against British or US troops. | Close: Cerie Bullivant's mother was unaware of the order MI5 assessed the trio were really heading for Iraq. Security service papers suggest "martyrdom operations" - suicide bombings against British or US troops. |
| Bullivant says he was "baffled" and insists his trip was a backpacking adventure. The Home Office placed the brothers under control orders - and months later Bullivant joined them after MI5 expressed concern over his plans to go to Bangladesh. | |
| He handed over his passport, his computer and other belongings were taken. He was obliged to sign in daily at a police station. He complained to the Home Office this prevented him properly studying. He didn't dare tell his mother. The strain began to show and his marriage to a Muslim woman began to crack. | He handed over his passport, his computer and other belongings were taken. He was obliged to sign in daily at a police station. He complained to the Home Office this prevented him properly studying. He didn't dare tell his mother. The strain began to show and his marriage to a Muslim woman began to crack. |
| On the run | On the run |
| In May 2007 Cerie Bullivant went on the run in what he now calls his "moment of madness". | In May 2007 Cerie Bullivant went on the run in what he now calls his "moment of madness". |
| Wanted: Trio on the run, Cerie Bullivant second from right He and the Adam brothers disappeared, sparking a national manhunt, front page headlines and political pressure on the Home Office over the use of the orders. | |
| Four weeks later Bullivant had a change of heart, left the London flat where he says they were hiding out watching DVDs, and turned himself in. The Adam brothers have not been seen again - before they disappeared police say they were trying to obtain false passports. | Four weeks later Bullivant had a change of heart, left the London flat where he says they were hiding out watching DVDs, and turned himself in. The Adam brothers have not been seen again - before they disappeared police say they were trying to obtain false passports. |
| The nine months since then has seen a legal rollercoaster take the 25-year-old from being one of the most wanted men in Britain to the rare position of having challenged counter-terrorism laws and won. | The nine months since then has seen a legal rollercoaster take the 25-year-old from being one of the most wanted men in Britain to the rare position of having challenged counter-terrorism laws and won. |
| Cleared in court | Cleared in court |
| When an Old Bailey jury cleared him of breaching his order, the Home Office imposed more restrictions, including an electronic tag and a home curfew. | When an Old Bailey jury cleared him of breaching his order, the Home Office imposed more restrictions, including an electronic tag and a home curfew. |
| A SECURITY RISK? I am satisfied the decision to make a control order was justified on the material available at the time ... however I am equally satisfied that reasonable grounds for suspicion do not now exist Mr Justice Collins, January 2008 | A SECURITY RISK? I am satisfied the decision to make a control order was justified on the material available at the time ... however I am equally satisfied that reasonable grounds for suspicion do not now exist Mr Justice Collins, January 2008 |
| But last month a senior High Court judge quashed that more restrictive order, ruling that while the Home Secretary originally had reasonable grounds for suspicion - those no longer existed. | But last month a senior High Court judge quashed that more restrictive order, ruling that while the Home Secretary originally had reasonable grounds for suspicion - those no longer existed. |
| So what had happened? Was he someone who had learnt the hard way not to flirt with extremism? | So what had happened? Was he someone who had learnt the hard way not to flirt with extremism? |
| "The Home Office would say that I was involved in radical Islamist groups, but I never went to any speeches or talks of any of the scholars that are now in prison," he says. "I had tapes of talks by scholars - but they were mainstream. | "The Home Office would say that I was involved in radical Islamist groups, but I never went to any speeches or talks of any of the scholars that are now in prison," he says. "I had tapes of talks by scholars - but they were mainstream. |
| What about material from preachers now known to have spearheaded radicalisation? | What about material from preachers now known to have spearheaded radicalisation? |
| Secret evidence: Intelligence assessments in the case "No Abu Hamza, no Omar Bakri, no Shaikh Faisal. I have not heard any of those talks other than what I have heard in the media." | |
| We asked him what he thought of jihadi thinking - that Muslims have an obligation to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan | We asked him what he thought of jihadi thinking - that Muslims have an obligation to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan |
| "I know that both me and Lamine were completely opposed to market place bombs and killing of innocents, wholesale slaughter, those kinds of things. | "I know that both me and Lamine were completely opposed to market place bombs and killing of innocents, wholesale slaughter, those kinds of things. |
| "But it is common sense that if you go and invade a country the native people are going to try to defend themselves. | "But it is common sense that if you go and invade a country the native people are going to try to defend themselves. |
| "I can't speak for anyone else but the trip to Syria was just a bit of backpacking, an adventure. MI5 says our plans were vague. In a way I can accept that. It wasn't a package holiday. But I know my own barrister arrived years ago in Marseille backpacking and slept on the streets. | "I can't speak for anyone else but the trip to Syria was just a bit of backpacking, an adventure. MI5 says our plans were vague. In a way I can accept that. It wasn't a package holiday. But I know my own barrister arrived years ago in Marseille backpacking and slept on the streets. |
| "This idea that we were going out there to bunk the border and fight in Iraq baffles me, it really does. I fail to see the romance in fighting." | "This idea that we were going out there to bunk the border and fight in Iraq baffles me, it really does. I fail to see the romance in fighting." |
| Cerie Bullivant said he wanted his case to be public because he believes it exposes the fragility of intelligence assessments. | Cerie Bullivant said he wanted his case to be public because he believes it exposes the fragility of intelligence assessments. |
| He argues that once he fell under suspicion because of his friendship with Lamine Adam, the system was unable to accept they had the wrong man. | He argues that once he fell under suspicion because of his friendship with Lamine Adam, the system was unable to accept they had the wrong man. |
| However, Lord Carlile, the terrorism laws watchdog, says that controversial control order cases have in fact proved the opposite - that legal safeguards are working. | However, Lord Carlile, the terrorism laws watchdog, says that controversial control order cases have in fact proved the opposite - that legal safeguards are working. |
| He has reviewed the decision-making in every control order and has read all the same MI5 papers seen by the Home Secretary. He says security-cleared special advocates, lawyers who argue for suspects in secret judicial hearings, are clearly proving their worth, even if the suspects themselves can't see the material. | He has reviewed the decision-making in every control order and has read all the same MI5 papers seen by the Home Secretary. He says security-cleared special advocates, lawyers who argue for suspects in secret judicial hearings, are clearly proving their worth, even if the suspects themselves can't see the material. |
| The Home Office says it was disappointed that the control order was quashed. But in a first for a British-born controllee, it says it will not appeal the decision. | The Home Office says it was disappointed that the control order was quashed. But in a first for a British-born controllee, it says it will not appeal the decision. |
| Whatever the state of Cerie Bullivant's mind now, was he ever a threat to national security, contemplating a "martyrdom operation" as a bomber? | Whatever the state of Cerie Bullivant's mind now, was he ever a threat to national security, contemplating a "martyrdom operation" as a bomber? |
| He shakes his head and answers quietly. | He shakes his head and answers quietly. |
| "The only time I have ever been close to suicide is since they put me on these orders and I was at my lowest point," he says. | "The only time I have ever been close to suicide is since they put me on these orders and I was at my lowest point," he says. |
| "I'm not a threat to national security. I'm British, I was born in this country. I have never been involved in anything that would harm the security of this country or the security of other countries." | "I'm not a threat to national security. I'm British, I was born in this country. I have never been involved in anything that would harm the security of this country or the security of other countries." |
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