LibDem Euro MP reveals website that incites illegal immigration

Published on Thu 7th Sep 2006

Bill Newton Dunn, Liberal Democrat Member for the East Midlands and organiser of the European Parliament all-party group on Organised Crime, has revealed a Senegalese website which incites and helps Africans to travel illegally to Europe.

The website, which can be found on www.senegalaisement.com/senegal/venir_en_france.php gives detailed advice on routes, modes of transport, costs and precautionary measures to take upon arrival on European territory such as not carrying identity documents and if possible being pregnant.

Specially during the summer when the sea is calmer and the water temperature rises, Islands like the Canaries experience waves of immigrants arriving on their shores. More immigrants arrived during the month of August 2006 than in the whole of 2005. Nearly 19,000 migrants have arrived on the islands this year and an estimated 3000 immigrants have died en route. Once they enter Spanish territory, they are able to cross internal borders and travel to the EU country of their choice.

Bill Newton Dunn, who sits on the European Parliament's Justice and Home Affairs Committee, commented:

"This website is an appalling discovery. It tries to convince users that the passage across part of the Atlantic - which is known to be dangerous due to the disastrous state of boats used - is easy and safe."

"Many lives have been lost and everything should be done to curb it. Illegal immigration benefits organised crime groups, for whom this activity has now become one of their largest sources of income."