28 March 2012
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A Home Office answer to a Freedom of Information request reveals that in the month of February 2007 twenty-five people were "removed" to Afghanistan, 38 to Iraq and 17 adults and 21 children to the Democratic Republic of Congo. A further 71 people were "removed" to Afghanistan in June 2007.
Request:
In February 2007 by charter flight:
To Eastern Europe via operation 'Aardvark'; how many flights were there, and how many adults and children were removed?
To Afghanistan via operation 'Ravel'; how many flights were there, and how many adults and children were removed?
Other charter flights in February:
How many persons were removed from the UK to Iraq?
How many adults and children were removed from the UK to DR Congo?
If these flights to Iraq and DR Congo had 'operational' names, what were the operational names for each flight?
Home Office answer:
Charter flights 'Aardvark' and 'Ravel'
Number of removals to Eastern Europe via operation ‘Aardvark’
Number of flights: 4
Number of persons removed: 74 adults and 1 child
Number of removals to Afghanistan via operation ‘Ravel’
Number of flights: 1
Number of persons removed: 25 adults and 0 children.
Number of removals to Iraq
Number of flights: 1
Number of persons removed: 38 adults
Number of removals to the Democratic Republic of Congo
Number of flights: 1
Number of persons removed: 17 adults and 21 children
The operational name for the flight to Iraq was ‘Consimilar’, and the operational name for the flight to the Democratic Republic to Congo was ‘Castor’.
Home Office answer for June 2007
Charter flights 'Aardvark' and 'Ravel'
Number of removals to Eastern Europe via operation ‘Aardvark’
Number of flights: 4
Number of persons removed: 59 adults
Number of removals to Afghanistan via operation ‘Ravel’
Number of flights: 3
Number of persons removed: 71 adults
There were no other charter flights in June.
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