British volunteers on a humanitarian aid run to refugees in Calais were detained by police under legislation meant to be used against suspected terrorists, an aid group has told theIndependent.

Two people working with the London2Calais group said they were stopped and held for three hours under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 while returning to the UK at Calais.

One of the pair, who were travelling in the same vehicle, said Kent Police counter-terror officers carried out the detention on the Calais side of the channel.

Kent Police would not provide any further information about the alleged incident and said “routine” stop checks were used at borders.

London2Calais, which has raised around £13,000 on the crowd funding website IndieGoGo, has run a number of convoys delivering aid to refugees trapped on the other side of the channel.

The group has since August distributed thousands of food packages at “the Jungle” refugee camp and says it has also delivered clothes, sleeping bags, a water pump, and a power generator intended to be used for a school located in the camp.

It is one of a number of groups that is providing aid and assistance to people stuck in the French port town on their way to the UK.

Syed Bokhari, the organisation’s joint-secretary and one of the people apparently detained, said that the detention was part of a persistent “campaign” against the group’s activities.

“We are routinely delayed, questioned and treated like criminals because of the solidarity we bring to refugees stuck in ‘The Jungle’ in Calais,” he told the Independent.

“Last night Special Branch and Counter-Terror units abused powers under section 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 to hold up one of our teams as we attempted to return to the UK from working in the camp in Calais.

“We were delayed for 3 hours and quizzed by a series of police officers who attempted to intimidate us with the Terrorism Act.

“This is the latest escalation in a sustained campaign of harassment against London2Calais and other groups and individuals supporting refugees in Calais.”

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