NCADC asked the Home Office this morning to comment on the proposed flight, they said, "We can not comment for operational reasons".

*Castor was the 'Operational' name given to the 'Charter Flight' on the 26th February that removed 21 children and 17 adults to DR Congo.

According to MONUC, the UN peacekeeping force based in DR Congo, Armed Forces of DRC (FARDC) and the National Congolese Police (PNC) are involved in extrajudicial executions, rape,
arbitrary arrests and torture on a daily basis in DR Congo.

To the best of our knowledge all the seats on the proposed 'Charter flight' have not yet been
filled. Therefore we assume the Home Office will be sweeping the country to pick up DR Congo Families/individuals to make sure the 'Charter flight is full. Last February they picked up more families and individuals than there were seats on the plane. This was to make sure that if legal challenges were made to stay some of the removals there would be a reserve of families/individuals to make sure the flight is full.

Planning meeting to stop the 'Charter Flight' to DR Congo
Wednesday 15th August - 7.30pm
Friends Meeting House
2 Mount Street
Manchester
M2 5 NS

Called by Congo Support Project, Bolton NUT, Sukula Family Must Stay Campaign, Innocent Must Stay Campaign, Marie Chancelle & Christine Must Stay Campaign, Manchester Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers, RAPAR, Respect Party, everyone welcome.

The meeting will be to organize locally and nationally, so no matter which town you live in, you will be welcome to come to Manchester (or organize a meeting in your own town).

Contact details:
Innocent Empi
078 7167 6129

If you are a refused DR Congo asylum seeker, and have been given/receive "removal directions" that include the words "Operation Castor", and you do not have a legal representative.

NCADC may be able to put you in touch will a well-respected immigration solicitor who can
represent you for free. Please note, this would specifically be for asylum seekers who get "removal directions" as a part of "Operation Castor" only.

We need the following information about you :
* Full names of asylum seeker and any dependents
* Date of birth(s)
* Port ref no. and Home Office ref no.
* Date, time, flight number of your "removal directions"
We may then ask you to fax the solicitor ;
* Copy of your "removal directions"
* Copy of your "factual summary" from Immigration
(if you don't have one you should request one)
* Signed and dated instructions to the solicitor to act on your behalf

Operational Charter flights, Aardvark and Ravel

*XL Airways were the owners of the plane that removed the DR Congolese in February. A response to a Freedom of Information Act request revealed that the Home Office's expenditure with XL
Airways "to deport/repatriate persons from the UK [via Charter flights] for the year 2005/2006" was
£1,542,826.96. XL airways run 'Charter flights' (Aardvark) to Eastern Europe every week and to Afghanistan 2/3 (Ravel) times a month.