CEREDIGION County Council has confirmed that refugees settling in Aberystwyth from war-torn Syria will have been “thoroughly vetted” before arriving.

The confirmation comes after Cllr Dai Mason called on the council to hold an emergency meeting of the refugee task and finish group in the wake of Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris, in which it was reported that one of the attackers may have been posing as a refugee.

But the council has indicated it will not be holding an emergency meeting and has confirmed that refugees will be resettled according to rules set out by the UK government through the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (SVPR) scheme.

A council spokesperson told the Cambrian News: “The council was shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the appalling atrocities in Paris.

“In recent days, there has been some anxiety expressed about the arrival of refugees from Syria and whether these individuals might constitute a security risk.

“This is not the case, as the 11 people who will be coming to Aberystwyth have been thoroughly vetted by the UN and the Home Office before their arrival, which is a process that takes a number of weeks.

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