AN asylum seeker slashed his stomach with a knife at government offices in Glasgow in a protest over his case.

AN asylum seeker slashed his stomach with a knife at government offices in Glasgow in a protest over his case.

The 30-year-old took the drastic action at the Home Office immigration centre in Brand Street, Ibrox.

Staff and the public were evacuated from the building and emergency services were called.

The man, originally from Iraq, slashed himself in a toilet in protest at the length of time his case was taking. He pulled out a knife and cut himself three times after he had attended a routine interview.

The man was found in a toilet at the UK Border Agency offices and staff were alerted.

He handed over the knife, and no-one else was injured in the incident.

Police and an ambulance crew were called to the scene, shortly after 4pm yesterday.

The man was treated at the scene and taken to the Southern General Hospital. His condition today was not known.

A police spokeswoman said: "We received reports a man had suffered slash wounds to the stomach. Police were called and an ambulance team alerted. He was taken to the Southern General Hospital where he was left in the care of a medical team.

"No arrests have been made and no-one else was injured."

A spokeswoman for the UK Border Agency said: "There was an incident of self-harm involving someone who was attending a regular reporting meeting at the centre."

The spokeswoman would not give any details of the asylum seeker's case.

The Brand Street offices have been the target of several protests in recent years.

In March 2007, a protester was arrested following an early-morning blockade at the immigration centre.

Around 30 people took part in the demonstration over dawn raids.

Members of asylum seekers' action group Unity put up a wooden tripod in front of the gates in a bid to block access to the building.