BNP is attacked over Larne leaflets
BRITISH National Party attempts to stir up opposition to a proposed detention centre for suspected illegal immigrants in Larne have been slammed by local representatives.
A purpose-built centre, capable of detaining around 20 people, could be up an running as early as next year if the plans get the go-ahead and the funding is made available.
The far-right BNP has distributed thousands of leaflets in the Co Antrim town calling for the plans to be scrapped.
East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson has welcomed the proposal to base a short-term holding facility at Larne.
"Although no final decision has been made it looks likely that Larne will be the location of a short-term holding facility for immigration detainees.
"It is important that we have centres like these across the country so that detainees can be held and properly processed," he said.
Mr Wilson added: "If these were not in place it would mean that many illegal immigrants could not be held but would have to be released and could go off the radar of the authorities.
"I look forward to getting more information about this application from the Home Office and I will of course keep my constituents informed what is happening."
Larne's deputy mayor Mark Dunn says the BNP "has no support" in the area.
The Ulster Unionist councillor, who is also chair of the local District Policing Partnership (DPP), feels the extremist party "will not influence the debate" around the location of the centre.
"The BNP are not active on a political level in Larne so they are not really relevant. My main concern is that the DPP hasn't been properly informed of the detention centre.
"So far all I know about it is what I have read in the planning application advert in the paper."
Last year a report by the Criminal Justice Inspectorate recommended that an alternative to the use of police cells for detainees in Northern Ireland should be found.
The report said that UK Border Agency representatives were "exploring the possibility of adapting a mothballed PSNI custody suite" for immigration use.
The BNP website claims "local people (in Larne) are horrified by this news that their town has been earmarked as a dumping ground for illegal immigrants and bogus asylum seekers".
Mr Wilson, who is DUP MP for the area, said he was "extremely disappointed" at the BNP stance on the matter and added: "This holding facility would offer a safe place for both immigrants and the authorities to administer necessary checks and administration – a matter which the BNP seemed to have ignored.
"The BNP should not be attempting to stir up tension and strife with their bigoted and racist views on this particular issue."
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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