Phil Beacall
"Ops & Development
Coord"
Membership Level: Full
Posts: 378
Status: Offline | Freed to sponge off the country he hates
Abu Qatada ’dangerous’...but judge bails him
HATE preacher Abu Qatada will be free on bail in days despite "posing a national security risk", a judge ruled yesterday.
The extremist Islamic cleric, 51 — wanted in Jordan over terror offences — must be let out of jail even though the Home Office calls him "a dangerous man".
But that will not stop him claiming tens of thousands of pounds from the state for himself, his wife and five children.
That is on top of about £1.5million the al-Qaeda fanatic has already collected in handouts, legal bills and prison costs from the country he hates.
Qatada — known as "Bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe" — must be let out of jail despite "posing a risk to national security", a judge said.
Mr Justice Mitting said the time will come "quite soon" when keeping Qatada locked up could not be justified. And he ruled at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in London that strict bail conditions could be RELAXED within three months, even though Qatada could abscond.
Qatada — real name Omar Othman — has been in Long Lartin prison, Worcs, since 2008 awaiting deportation to his native Jordan on terrorism charges. He featured in videos found in the flat of a 9/11 bomber.
But the European Court of Human Rights said he cannot be sent back because he may be tortured.
Qatada once lived with his family in a £800,000 council house in West London as legal battles raged.
The Home Office said last night: "Qatada should remain in detention.
"This is a dangerous man who we believe poses a real threat to our security."
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper urged Home Secretary Theresa May to step up talks with Jordan.
Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said people would be "astonished" at the decision to free Qatada.
Kim Beer, 53, whose son Phil, 22, died in the 7/7 attacks, said: "Give him a one-way ticket back to Jordan."
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