The Home Office revealed it does not collect data on the number of migrants granted asylum on religious grounds.
This is because there is evidence that some migrants convert to Christianity in order to give themselves an advantage in their asylum application.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said he had requested data on the extent to which migrants’ conversion to Christianity plays a role in the success of asylum applications.
This follows an internal review commissioned the chemical attack at Clapham last week, suspected of having been executed by Abdul Ezedi.
Interior Ministry sources told The Times there were consistencies in Ezedi’s candidacy
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The 35-year-old was an Afghan sex offender who was allowed to stay in the UK after claiming to have converted to Christianity.
Home Office sources said department officials have struggled to find data on the number of asylum seekers who have spoken of their apparent conversion to Christianity.
Meanwhile, the Times reports that Ezedi was granted asylum despite “multiple inconsistencies” in his application.
The Home Office twice rejected Ezedi’s asylum application, but he appealed to an immigration court in October 2020 and was granted refugee status in 2021 or 2022.
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James Cleverly called for an investigation
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A source said: “He was rejected because he wasn’t completely honest about other aspects of his life… He wasn’t telling the truth and was trying to cover up other things in his life.”
It was reported that Ezedi had received a reference from a priest in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, who said he was “fully committed” to the Christian faith.
A spokesperson for the diocese said: “Having checked local parish registers and central registers, and after consulting with clergy, we have no indication that Abdul Ezedi was received into the Catholic faith in this diocese, or that a Catholic priest of this diocese gave him a reference.
“We do not know which Christian church received it, nor which Christian minister gave it a reference.”
Abdul Ezedi reportedly converted to Christianity before his asylum application was approved
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The Catholic Herald reported that the diocese said Ezedi visited the diocese’s Justice and Peace project for refugees.
The program distributes food and toiletries to people referred by the Saint Vincent de Paul Society.
The project is not about asylum claims or helping people convert to Christianity, but is a “charitable enterprise which helps a wide range of people who come to us in need”.
The spokesperson added: “The diocese will assist police investigations in any way possible. We keep the victims in our prayers and hope that justice will soon be served.”
