THE TELEGRAPH: One of President Obama's half-brothers was denied entry to Britain because he had been accused of sexual assault on a previous visit.
Samson Obama was travelling from Kenya to his half-brother's presidential inauguration ceremony in January when he tried to enter the country at East Midlands Airport for a short break but he was stopped by immigration officers.
Using biometric tests, they discovered that he was linked to a serious crime in Britain last November, according to the News of the World.
At the time Samson, who runs a mobile phone shop outside Nairobi, was arrested by Thames Valley Police in Berkshire for an alleged attempted sexual assault on a group of teenage girls. He was not charged.
However, his details were stored on the Home Office's new biometric database.
The White House was informed, according to the News of the World.
A Home Office source told the newspaper: "This was obviously an extremely sensitive issue when it was flashed up by the database.
"But the system is designed to flag up people who have come to the attention of the police in the UK and are then trying to return."
He was refused a visa and flew on to the United States on a connecting flight.
A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "We consider all visa applications based on their merits.
"We will oppose the entry of individuals to the UK where we believe their presence is not conducive to the public good. >>> | Sunday, April 12, 2009
