Gaddafi paying for Libyan police officers at Yorkshire university

The deputy vice-chancellor at Huddersfield University, Peter Slee, said the forensic science course had been fully approved by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and there was nothing “sinister” about the kind of training being offered.

He said: “The programme is above board, the students are above board. We have had a change in political circumstances but that doesn’t invalidate the programme and we continue to have the support of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.”

He clarified an earlier report which suggested more than 100 Libyan police officers were undergoing training in Huddersfield and confirmed that of the 103 Libyans taking a masters degree in forensic science, 12 were serving civilian police officers.

Mr Slee said the remainder were largely scientists with under-graduate qualifications who now wanted to undergo further training.

He added that the course had been funded through a Libyan agency, the funding ultimately provided by the Libyan government. The university will receive around £1m under the contract for the course, which began last October and has another 12 months to run.

Mr Slee said: “There is nothing sinister about this programme – there is nothing in it that British students wouldn’t be taught.

“I don’t know how this programme could benefit the regime. There are many companies and universities who have been working with Libya for many years. There are no restrictions on trade with Libya at the moment. We are trading with another country and we are trading within the limits of the law.

“The students have been cleared to be here, they are here on student visas and our view is that the programme poses no threat whatsoever.”

Part of the training is provided in conjunction with a company called Axiom International, whose executive chairman is Lord Stephens, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

Axiom, which provides specialist police and forensic science training, did not respond to a request for comment.

The Government was unwilling to comment on the Libyan connection with Huddersfield University and whether the situation was now under review.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “This was a private agreement between the Libyan police force and the university. Individuals who have made genuine applications to study in the UK with reputable educational establishments and meet the necessary criteria are permitted to study in the UK.”

She said any questions over whether visas may be withdrawn in the light of events in Libya were a matter for the Home Office. But the Home Office said it did not comment on individual cases.

Universities’ links with Libya have come under the microscope following last week’s resignation of London School of Economics’ (LSE) director Sir Howard Davies and the subsequent commission of an independent inquiry.

Sir Howard acknowledged the LSE’s reputation had suffered because of its ties to the Gaddafi regime and it had been a mistake to accept £300,000 research funding from a foundation controlled by the dictator’s son Saif, who studied for an MSc and PhD there.

He admitted he made a “personal error of judgment” in travelling to Libya to advise the regime on how to modernise its financial institutions.

Comment: Page 10.