Dealing with the internal terrorist threat: the case for deportation of suspects

In the period preceding the outbreak of World War Two, the British government had to decide what to do with tens of thousands of "enemy aliens" – mainly Germans, Austrians and Italians living in Britain – and also British citizens of foreign descent. Though it seemed likely that most of these people were no threat, still it was the duty of government to address the real possibility of sabotage and espionage by fifth columnists amongst their number.