Jordanian hate preacher Abu Qatada could soon be freed - after winning a legal battle against his deportation.
London, Apr.10 : Jordanian hate preacher Abu Qatada could soon be freed - after winning a legal battle against his deportation.
According to The Sun, an Appeals Court in London yesterday blocked his extradition to Jordan over fears that his trial may use evidence obtained under torture.
Jordan wants the fanatic -Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe - for his role in several terrorist bomb plots.
In a separate ruling, the same judges forced Britain to free 12 Libyan terror suspects linked to al-Qaeda.
They warned they could face ill treatment, jail without trial or death if sent back home.
The rulings are a big blow to the Government's campaign to kick out terror suspects.
It has introduced a policy of seeking "memoranda of understanding" with foreign countries to deport terror suspects.
The so-called MOUs are designed to give reassurance that countries with poor human rights records will not torture or ill-treat anyone returned to them.
Libya and Jordan have both signed up - but the court ruling undermines these agreements.
Jordanian Qatada, 45, was held in 2001, seven years after arriving in Britain on a false passport as an asylum seeker - but he was freed.
Home Office Minister Tony McNulty has vowed to appeal the ruling, keeping Qatada behind bars.
ANI