Government using 'sinister powers' to strip British citizenship Since 2010, the Home Secretary, Theresa May, has revoked the passports of 16 individuals, mostly because of links to terror or militant groups. Last night the Home Office said citizenship was 'a privilege not a right" and added that all the decisions had been taken for the public good. The investigation was carried out by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism for The Independent newspaper. Mr Macdonald said: "They're using executive powers and I think they're using them quite wrongly," he said. It's not open government; it's closed, and it needs to be exposed. Those targeted include Bilal al- Berjawi, a British-Lebanese man who came to the UK as a baby and grew up in London, but left for Somalia in 2009 with his close friend the British born Mohamed Sakr, who also held Egyptian nationality. Both were subject to extensive surveillance by British intelligence after the security services became concerned they were involved in terrorist activities. A Home Office spokeswoman said: "Citizenship is a privilege not a right. The Home Secretary has the power to remove citizenship from individuals where she considers it is conducive to the public good. An individual subject to deprivation can appeal to the courts. She added: "We don't routinely comment on individual deprivation cases."