Commenting on the imminent release of Ahmed H., convicted under terrorism laws in September 2015 and recently transferred from prison to an immigration detention facility, a government official said the Syrian was “not just a violent migrant, but his case shows that activist groups, typically funded by George Soros, not only import migrants and support them while they commit a crime, but they also help them earn money at the expense of the taxpayer.” Referring to the Syrian’s decision to sue the cabinet office on the basis that a 2017 government survey on public attitudes to migration referred to him directly and gave the impression he had already been convicted when the court had not yet produced a final ruling, Csaba Dömötör, a cabinet office state secretary, told public radio in an interview on Sunday that it was “totally absurd” that “a criminal” wanted to earn 8 million forints (EUR 25,000) to defend his good reputation.
A government spokesman said on Friday that Ahmed H. will remain in detention until Hungary can reach an agreement with Cyprus, his former place of residence, concerning his return.
Commenting on moves to expel him from the country, the state secretary noted that the Hungarian authorities had decided Ahmed H. could stay in Hungary since he presented a danger to the security of the Hungarians. “A terrorist cannot walk freely in Hungary,” he said, adding that Ahmed H. will remain in detention until his removal. He said the Syrian had been found in possession of eight passports at the time of his crime, “which is unrealistic for a real refugee fearing for his life.” It is no coincidence, he added, that many of the organisations that attack the government’s migration policy have supported Ahmed H.
Meanwhile, Dömötör noted the European Parliament’s decision to increase support for “so-called democratic NGOs”, and added that experience so far suggested that most of the amount would be spent on organisations that supported migration. Dömötör said the Hungarian government decried increasing support for such activist groups insofar as Brussels failed to give adequate funding for border protection.