Pro-Tibet group in legal move over policing of Jiang visit to Britain

LONDON, Jan 14 (AFP) - The Free Tibet Campaign said on Friday it would make a legal challenge into the way police handled a visit to Britain last year by Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

An application for a judicial review of police procedures would be lodged with London's High Court later Friday, a spokesman said.

The campaign group is angry that peaceful protesters had flags and banners removed during the visit in October last year.

They have complained of strong-arm tactics by police, who also used vehicles to shield the Chinese leader from pro-Tibet protestors and demonstrators against China's human rights record.

"Our argument in the courts is that the police acted unreasonably and unlawfully to suppress public demonstrations," Free Tibet Campaign director Alison Reynolds told BBC radio.

The application comes as British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon was meeting his Chinese counterpart Chi Haotian in London on Friday.

The decision on whether to grant a judicial review is expected to take several months, and the group admitted it had little chance of success.

"The legal precedents show that it is very rare for a case like this to succeed," said the spokesman.

The London-based Free Tibet Campaign -- which supports independence for the Himalayan territory -- said it would consider taking its case to the European Court of Human Rights if the application for a judicial review failed.

Jiang was in Britain from October 18-22, the first visit by a Chinese head of state, as part of a European tour.

On Friday, a group of around 20 protesters shouting "Free Tibet" and "China Out" gathered outside the ministry of defence building where the talks between Hoon and Chi were thought to be taking place.

A ministry spokesman said the talks were very low-key, focusing on the need for increasing contacts, strenghthening political and military dialogue.

Chi, who was last in Britain in 1996, was continuing the visit in a private capacity from Saturday and would leave on Sunday, said the spokesman.