What is WICU check?

[survival]

I'm on HSMP FLR and recently went back to Pakistan. On my way back at Heathrow Immigrations I was questioned routine questions about my work, purpose of visiting and my status etc. They took my passport and told me to wait. After half an hour they returned my passport and said ok thanks and I was cleared. But I noticed the immigration officer put a sticker on my passport qouting "WICU check only" and gave to someone. Just a curiosity if any one knows what it is? cheers

[gordon]

WICU: Warnings Index Control Unit
The warnings index tracks individuals with immigration offences and others considered 'of interest' (national security concerns, presumably).

The check that they did on you was likely merely routine (to ascertain that you are not on their list), or it was a case that your information showed potentially elevated risk requiring you to be checked against that last (as a function of name, travel destination, or length of travel, etc, who knows what). Presumably any flag was found to be a false positive on further examination, since they let you through with no further interrogation.

[survival]

Thank you Gordon. Awesome lot of information on this board. cheers