Abu Qatada Wins Bail Freedom

By Sean O’Neill and Richard Ford
The Times Online

An extremist Muslim cleric, described by a judge as Osama bin Laden’s spiritual ambassador in Europe, is to be released on bail a judge ruled today.

Abu Qatada, who won his legal fight against deportation to Jordan last month, will be freed from prison under strict bail conditions amounting to house arrest.

The cleric had applied to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission on the grounds that it was inhumane to detain him indefinitely if there was no prospect of his being deported.

The court agreed but he will not be freed from the high-security wing at Long Lartin jail until a detailed agreement has been reached about where he will live, what access to the internet and telephone he will have and who can visit him.

Abu Qatada was sentenced to death in his absence in connection with a series of bombings in Amman in 1998.

Said to be a former member of al-Qaeda’s fatwah committee, he lived in Acton, west London, for several years, preaching at local mosques and raising funds for jihadi groups in Chechnya.

In February 2001 a police raid on his home led to the seizure of £180,000 in various currencies.

Although he was under MI5 surveillance, he disappeared in December 2001, shortly before he was due to be arrested. He was discovered in November the following year and taken into custody under emergency anti-terrorist powers.

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