Osama bin Ladin's "Right Hand Man in Europe" To Be Released On Bail

I'm sure we can trust him to remain in constant contact with the courts.

An extremist Muslim cleric regarded as "Osama bin Laden's spiritual ambassador in Europe" must be released on bail, a judge ruled today.

Abu Qatada, 48, who won his legal fight against deportation to Jordan last month, will be freed from prison under strict bail conditions amounting to 22-hour house arrest despite the fact that he is still deemed to be a threat to national security.

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

The order to release him is the latest in a series of judicial decisions which undermine the Government's stance on terrorism.

In the past year, the courts have effectively rewritten sections of terrorism legislation and ruled that financial sanctions on terror suspects were absurd and unlawful.

Hmm... I imagine that "22 hour house arrest" means 22 hours a day.

Gee, I wonder which hours he'll use to flee the country.

It gets worse. Another major terrorist is about to get sprung, too.

posted by Ace at 03:52 PM

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