Britain ordered to free radical cleric from jail after ECHR ruling

Feb 6, 2012, 17:44 GMT

London - A radical Muslim cleric whose deportation to Jordan was recently blocked by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is to be freed on bail from a jail in Britain, a special immigration tribunal ruled Monday.

The release of Abu Qatada, 51, is a blow to the British government which had planned to appeal against the decision by the ECHR in Strasbourg last month which blocked his deportation to Jordan on the grounds that evidence to be used against him there might have been obtained by torture.

'Qatada should remain in detention, our view has not changed,' a spokesman for the Home Office in London said Monday. 'This is a dangerous man who we believe poses a real threat to our security and who has not changed in his views or attitude to (Britain).'

The spokesman added that the Home Office was still considering an appeal to the Strasbourg ruling.

Qatada, once described as 'al-Qaeda's spiritual leader in Europe,' has fought legal battles in Britain since he was detained without charge on the grounds of national security in 2002.

He will be released in the coming days from Long Lartin prison, near Birmingham, and taken to an address in London. His strict bail conditions include the imposition of a curfew.

The judge ruled Monday that while Qatada's long-time detention pending deporation was not illegal, he should be bailed as his deportation had been blocked by the European Court.

In his ruling, the judge also gave Britain's home secretary three months to show 'that progress is being made in negotiations with Jordan or restrictions on Qatada's liberty may not be acceptable any longer.'

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