A male terror suspect escaped capture in Britain for several days by dressing as a Muslim woman in a burka, it is claimed today.

The use of the top-to-toe garment - which often conceals the entire face, with the wearer seeing through an eye slit or fabric grille - will fuel the debate sparked by Commons Leader Jack Straw about whether Muslims in Britain should wear a full veil.

The man's details were sent out to airports and ports to stop him fleeing the country. Police eventually arrested him and he is now allegedly among 90 suspects in jail in this country awaiting trial on terror charges, according to The Times.

Shahid Malik, Labour MP for Dewsbury, warned this case was a highly unusual use of Muslim dress. He added: "If this is true then it is the first case of its kind in Britain and an isolated incident.

"We must not get hysterical. There have been many hundreds of cases where robberies have been committed by men wearing women's stockings on their heads - but no one is talking about banning stockings. The important thing is police and the security service should feel comfortable and confident about stopping anyone they have suspicions about, whatever they are wearing."

The case is believed to be the first in Britain. However, Islamic extremists, including suicide bombers fighting US and British forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, are known to have dressed in burkas to escape capture or launch attacks.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the former leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, reportedly often wore a burka to evade being tracked down.


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