My rent-free house is too small says Qatada: Hate cleric moans there is no space for his family's possessions
Breakthrough: Abu Qatada, pictured leaving his old house, says the home the taxpayer has rented for him in North London (left) since December, which cannot be fully shown for legal reasons, is too small The radical cleric, once described as Osama Bin Laden’s ‘right-hand man in Europe’, had been hauled back to prison after a ‘serious’ breach of his bail conditions, when police found memory sticks containing jihadist propaganda and internet-enabled mobile phones in the property. More... Every family would be up £3,500 worse off if Britain left the EU, business chiefs warn Tories expect UKIP to win first place in EU elections as Farage seeks to woo fed-up Conservatives Officers also found £5,000 in cash. The Home Office moved the family to the new home a few months ago, and Qatada’s lawyer sought to blame his failure to keep his bail conditions on the consequent upheaval. Couple: Abu Qatada shopping with his wife near his home five years ago. His lawyer said today she and his five children will leave Britain with him should he go The Home Office released this image of Home Secretary Theresa May signing the fair trial guarantees with Jordan that she believes will reassure courts that torture evidence would not be used against Abu Qatada Still smiling: Labour and Conservative ministers have been trying to deport Qatada for a decade but have failed KEY EVENTS IN ABU QATADA'S BATTLE AGAINST DEPORTATION September 16 1993 - The Jordanian claims asylum when he arrives on a forged passport.
May 1998 - He applies to stay indefinitely
April 1999 - He is convicted in his absence on terror charges in Jordan and sentenced to life imprisonment.
February 2001 - Arrested by police over involvement in a plot to bomb Strasbourg Christmas market. Officers find him with £170,000 in cash, including an envelope marked 'For the mujahedin in Chechnya'.
August 2005 - The preacher is arrested under immigration rules as the Government seeks to deport him to Jordan.
April 2008 - The Court of Appeal rules that deporting him would breach his human rights because evidence used against him in Jordan may have been obtained through torture.
February 18 2009 - Five Law Lords back the Government's policy of removing terror suspects from Britain on the basis of assurances from foreign governments. It is ruled he can be deported to Jordan.April 18 2012 - Abu Qatada lodges an appeal - potentially delaying his deportation by months.
March 6 2013 - He is returned to jail over fears he was trying to communicate with associates, in breach of bail conditions.
March 27 2013 - Court of Appeal admits hate preacher is 'very dangerous' but rules sending him to a terror trial in Jordan would not be fair.
April 17 2013 - Home Office says it will take its battle to the Supreme Court.
April 23 2013 - Court of Appeal rejects government request to appeal.
Daniel Friedman QC told the court the breach took place ‘in the context of the movement at short notice, no proper storage and a family under siege and exhausted’. He said there was ‘not enough storage space in what was in effect a three-bedroomed house’.But Mr Friedman argued Qatada should be released on bail so he could spend time with his family ahead of their departure to Jordan. The tribunal heard the memory stick belonging to one of Qatada’s sons contained university coursework as well as videos ‘produced by the media wing of Al Qaeda’. Robin Tam QC, for the Home Office, said the bail breaches amounted to a ‘wholesale and wanton disregard by the entire family from top to bottom of the requirements of SIAC’s order’.Mr Justice Irwin described the breaches as ‘serious’ and rejected the application. He said: ‘This appellant has in the past fled in order to avoid a court order, equipping himself with a false passport. ‘He is highly intelligent, has a range of sympathetic and supportive contacts, and his risk to national security is undiminished. ‘We reject the submission that he can, even now, be relied on to comply with his legal obligations and not to attempt to abscond.’ Earlier this month Qatada said he would return home voluntarily when a treaty signed by Britain and Jordan is ratified. It will ensure evidence from torture is not used against him at trial. Mr Friedman said the agreement meant Qatada would likely be acquitted over what he described as ‘tainted’ charges. Mr Tam said Jordan’s parliament will approve the treaty within weeks. Once approved, deportation can be signed off by Mrs May in days.
