09 June 2000
Home Secretary Jack Straw this week again refused to countenance the removal of passports from known troublemakers to prevent them travelling to the tournament, which is being held in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Straw said: 'You can't withdraw the passports of people just because you've got intelligence that they are football hooligans but they haven't got a conviction.'
Up to 50,000 English fans are expected at the championships, which start on June 10. Two known English hooligans were turned away by the Dutch authorities this week:; one at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport and another at the ferry port of Hook of Holland.
PFjun2000
