Bosnian refugee is thrown into jail: In 1956 Hungarians were welcomed as heroes, in stark contrast to the reception now offered to Yugoslavs fleeing atrocities in their homeland

THE LAST thing Mirza Muhic expected when he arrived in Britain six days ago was to be thrown into jail.

A 24-year-old Bosnian from Sarajevo, he fled to Turkey where he lived for five months before flying to England to join his sister.

After a 10-minute interview with immigration officials at Manchester airport, during which he alleges he was heavily pressurised into flying straight back to Istanbul, he was placed in detention.

'Suddenly I was a prisoner. I could not believe this. For five days I did not see anyone, only other prisoners. I did not know what was happening to me.'

He was eventually put in contact with the new refugee unit and is now one of about 20 currently facing deportation to another European country - despite a request from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) three weeks ago that Britain relaxes its asylum rules in the spirit of international burden sharing. Revised Home Office figures say that 36 have already been deported. Initially it was put by the Home Office at 64. Mr Muhic believes that if he is returned to Turkey he will come under strong pressure from the country's large Bosnian population to go back and fight. 'I was too frightened to apply for asylum there. There are large numbers of Bosnians there organising volunteer armies to go and fight. But I do not know what the fighting and killing is for.'

His parents and young sister are still in Sarajevo. He has not managed to make contact for a month.

Mr Muhic was studying in Zagreb in Croatia when the war broke out in his native Bosnia. He initially tried to get on a list of those from Croatia seeking asylum in Germany but failed. Instead he made his way overland to Turkey, and when it appeared to him that he could no longer stay, he flew to England.

Now he faces an uncertain future. Even after the suggestion by Charles Wardle, a Home Office minister, yesterday that the Government was prepared to be more flexible, he may not succeed in avoiding deportation. Mr Wardle said he was only prepared to be flexible for those who had not 'lingered' in another country en route to England and when it was clear they had no contacts in the third country.

Jessica Yudilevich, parliamentary officer of the Refugee Council, yesterday said: 'We are dismayed that Britain has been and still is threatening to send people like Mirza to third countries. We agree with the UNHCR that this is not taking their fair share of reponsibility.' Mr Muhic's story was not the only one to emerge yesterday. Ljubitza Kendall, of Leicestershire, had offered her sister and son refuge. But when they arrived from Germany, they were sent back. 'I truly cannot believe that people would not accept her and her son even though she had relatives who could look after her financially. She would not have been a burden to the Government at all,' Mrs Kendall said.

But in a house in north London, there are 20 young people who have been luckier.

One young Croatian woman, who does not wish to be identified, finally decided to flee Sarajevo, after witnessing the shooting of four passengers on a bus. With much difficulty she managed eventually to cross into Slovenia and get on a flight direct to the UK and was allowed entry as an asylum seeker.

She was told her application could take one or two years to process. In the meantime she qualifies for pounds 30 a week plus accommodation. For the first six months she cannot work.

Letters, page 18

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