Militant anti-abortionist is released on bail: Rescue America's leader freed after promising to keep the peace. Ian MacKinnon reports

THE DIRECTOR of a militant American anti-abortion group held at an immigration detention centre for three days was yesterday released on bail after agreeing not to become involved in any action that could lead to violence.

Don Treshman, a director of Rescue America, said afterwards that he would be discussing with his lawyers today whether the guarantees would prevent him taking part in the group's planned demonstrations outside abortion clinics.

However, he was adamant that the conditions laid down by the Immigration Appeals Tribunal in London would not stop him talking to the media before and during the rallies planned for Scotland and Ireland.

The bail, which included a personal recognisance of pounds 100, two sureties of pounds 2,000 and the condition that Mr Treshman live at a north London address, was granted despite objections by the Home Office.

The Home Office had issued an exclusion order against Mr Treshman last Friday, prior to his arrival in Britain at the weekend, but had failed to pass the order on to immigration officials at Gatwick airport. He was arrested on Monday evening outside BBC Televison Centre, in London, after appearing on the Newsnight programme. The Home Office said his presence in Britain was 'not conducive to the public good'.

On Tuesday, police arrested 19 people - 18 of them pro-abortionists - during a demonstration outside the headquarters of the Planned Parenthood Federation, and officers were again called to a demonstration yesterday at the Marie Stopes Centre, at Buckhurst Hill, Essex, after Rescue America protesters chased a woman.

Lawyers acting for Mr Treshman had earlier failed to get him released on bail on the grounds that the decision to detain him by Kenneth Clarke, the Home Secretary, should be subject to a judicial review.

Mr Treshman was bailed by the High Court in central London to appear again on 29 April while he awaits a date for his appeal against a deportation order,though he plans to leave on 13 April. Outside the tribunal he condemned Mr Clarke for removing him to a 'British concentration camp'.

Clinic wars, page 18; letters, page 19

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