Terrorism: Britain accused of harbouring Egypt's `evil mastermind'

After the slaughter at Luxor last month, the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, lashed out at Britain for "harbouring terrorists under the slogan of human rights" and Egypt published a list on the Internet of "wanted masterminds of terrorism". Steve Crawshaw hears what a "terrorist mastermind" has to say, and finds some strange ambiguities.

High on the Egyptians' hate-list is Yasser el-Serri, whose application for asylum in the UK is now being considered. Mr el-Serri was convicted in his absence in Egypt in connection with the attempted assassination in 1993 of the prime minister, Atef Sedki, in which a young girl died. He is one of the main reasons why Egypt claims that Britainadopts a soft policy on terrorism.

Mr el-Serri was no longer in Egypt at the time of the assassination attempt. He insists, too, that he was not involved in the attack from afar. "Mubarak feels no shame to do whatever suits him. It's a fabricated propaganda, aimed at Great Britain. It's obvious that because Mubarak has failed in his internal policies, he wants to attract the attention of abroad."

He condemns the slaughter at Luxor, where 58 tourists died, while seeking to spread the blame. "I condemn the massacre in Egypt - and also the Egyptian regime which is responsible for terrorist activities." He is happy to describe himself as an Islamic fundamentalist - reason enough for him to be anathema to the Egyptian government. He insists on his belief in Islamic sharia law - and argues that this belief includes an abhorrence of violence. "As Muslims, we are not allowed to kill innocent people."

In Britain, Mr el-Serri occupies a political no-man's land. He is under constant surveillance by Special Branch and MI5 - as potential suspect, and as potential victim.His Special Branch minders advised him to change his address for his own safety (in Mr el-Serri's words: "not because we like you - but because we don't let these things happen here"). He insists that his Islamic Observatory Centre, which he runs from his flat, is only a "humanitarian and media platform", and does not raise funds for potential terrorist activities - awhich would become illegal under proposed new UK laws.

Egypt has repeatedly demanded that he be returned to Egypt in connection with his conviction in absentia. "Many times, the Egyptian government asked me to be transferred [back to Egypt]. And many times the British Government refused. They kept saying: `Give us evidence'." The Home Office refuses to comment on the details of Mr el-Serri's case, beyond confirming that an application for asylum has been received.

Mr el-Serri insists that he accepts the ambiguous terms of his stay in the UK. He says it is right that both sides can be punished for a violent foul. "The British Government is like the referee. They will give the red card to the Egyptian secret police - or to the fundamentalists. I respect that."

Certainly, the Egyptian security services are interested in gathering more information. At a recent anti-government demonstration at its embassy in Mayfair, besuited men with video cameras peered from behind the curtains, filming the crowd.

None the less, Egyptian policy towards opponents of the regime remains mysterious. The Egyptian embassy in London has been in touch with Mr el- Serri about the possibility of "opening a dialogue". The Independent has spoken to a go-between involved in the tentative approaches, which apparently included representatives of the Egyptian security services. Mr el-Serri confirmed that the approaches had taken place, but claimed that Special Branch had told him to be wary. Egyptian officials deny that there have been any approaches. But it is clear that, when it comes to "terrorist masterminds", not all is as it seems.

A safe haven since Conrad's day

Britain's liberal treatment of asylum seekers caused frequent clashes with the rest of Europe in the nineteenth century: it was seen as a safe haven for terrorists and anarchists. Reactionary regimes in Vienna and Moscow, in particular, believed that Britain's openess to refugees was just the cover for hostile scheming against them.

This formed the background to Joseph Conrad's 1907 novel, The Secret Agent. Verloc, a double agent, is encouraged by Vladimir, an official at an unnamed European embassy (probably the Russians) to mount a terrorist outrage aimed at shocking the British into a clampdown. Vladimir lectures Verloc: "England lags. This country is absurd with its sentimental regard for individual liberty. ... The imbecile bourgeoisie of this country make themselves the accomplices of the very people whose aim is to drive them out of their houses to starve in ditches. And they have the political power still, if they only had the sense to use it for their own preservation. ... What they want just now is a jolly good scare."

Verloc is told to mount a bomb attack on the Greenwich Observatory, on the basis that "The whole civilised world has heard of Greenwich."