The Hate Escape

- Extremist duo sneak out under MI5 noses
- Travel ban vile preacher flees from UK
- Nicked ‘on way to Syria’ with Brit pal

Fled ... Simon Keeler, left, and Trevor Brooks

A NOTORIOUS British hate preacher slipped out of the UK hours before the Paris attacks, despite a Home Office travel ban.

In a shocking border security breach, fanatic Trevor Brooks, 40, travelled more than 1,200 miles to Hungary’s border with Romania. He was joined by another Brit extremist, Simon Keeler, 44.

Their journey traced a well-worn jihadi route towards Turkey and Syria, although it is not clear where the pair were heading.

Journey ... pair made it as far as Hungary

Both men managed to leave the UK even though they were on security watch lists after serving jail terms for terror offences.


Brooks, who changed his name to Abu Izzadeen when he converted to Islam in 1994, had his passport confiscated in April on “public interest” grounds, over fears he was intent on joining IS.

Meanwhile, Keeler was believed to be subject to strict probation controls after only recently being freed early from prison.
The blunder is a huge embarrassment for Home Secretary Theresa May and sparks concerns over the strength of checks carried out by the UK Border Force.

Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: “Urgent questions need to be asked of the Government concerning these two individuals.

“How did these men, with their histories, manage to leave the country?”

The bungle only emerged after Hungarian police carried out random identity checks on a train travelling to the Romanian capital, Bucharest, on Saturday.

They asked Brooks and Keeler for their papers at the border post station of Lokoshaza. Keeler handed over his driving licence, but Brooks had no identity papers and instead showed officers his Koran. Suspicious cops placed the pair in custody.

Hungary tipped off British Embassy officials in Budapest on Sunday, who then alerted Scotland Yard. Arrest warrants were granted at Westminster magistrates’ court on Monday.

It is believed neither man was meant to be allowed to travel outside the UK without the Home Office’s prior permission.

In 2006 Brooks heckled then Home Secretary John Reid. A year later he described the 7/7 bombings as “completely praiseworthy” and told the BBC he wanted to die as a suicide bomber.

In 2008 Brooks was jailed for four and a half years for inciting terrorism. A court heard he urged mosque worshippers in London to join jihadists in the Middle East. He was released a year later after his sentence was cut but was recalled to jail for breaching bail.

Earlier this year he was released from an 11-month prison term for breaching an anti-terror order by failing to tell cops about a change of address.
A letter sent to Brooks by the Home Office in April told him it was “not in the public interest” for him to have a passport.
Keeler, also known as Sulayman Keeler, was arrested last November after officials stopped a lorry at Dover, Kent.
In August he was cleared of trying to travel to Syria but was jailed for 15 months for travelling with false documents.

Last night steps were being taken to extradite the pair.

Scotland Yard said: “On Sunday officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) were informed that two UK nationals had been detained in Hungary.

“After further enquiries, UK officers applied for arrest warrants for both men for breaches of notification requirements under Part 4 of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008, which were granted at Westminster magistrates’ court on Monday. Enquiries continue.”
The Ministry of Justice and Home Office refused to comment.