Abu Qatada’s release ‘imminent’: Downing Street says it is ‘considering all options’ to remove him

  • Round-the-clock protection for extremist’s family 
  • Son, 18, delivers hate sermon outside Belmarsh prison

By
Ian Drury And Tim Shipman

Last updated at 6:46 PM on 13th February 2012

Hate preacher Abu Qatada was expected to be released from prison today as Downing Street said the Government was considering ‘all the options’ to remove have him removed from the country at the earliest opportunity.

Qatada’s stringent bail conditions were this morning finalised without the need for a further hearing, confirmed the Judicial Communications Office, removing the last obstacle to his freedom.

But a Downing Street spokesman said today: ‘We will take all measures necessary to protect the public.

‘We are committed to removing him from the country. We want to see him deported and we are looking at all the options for doing that. I’m not going to go into specifics.’

The bail conditions imposed mean he will be banned from taking his youngest child to school once he is released from jail.

On the loose: Qatada will be under curfew for 22-hours-a-day and won't be free to take his children to and from school

On the loose: Qatada will be under curfew for 22-hours-a-day and won’t be free to take his children to and from school

The Government has won a court ruling
preventing him from flaunting his freedom at the school gates while
ministers battle to find a way of deporting him.

At
a cost to taxpayers of £10,000 a week, a team of up to 60 police
officers and MI5 agents will provide round-the-clock protection for a
man described as Osama Bin Laden’s ambassador in Europe when he returns
to his London home.

Under the terms of his release, Qatada
must obey a 22-hour curfew, wear an electronic tag and is banned from
using the internet and telephone.

But, fearful about the prospect of a terror suspect being free to do the
school run, the Home Office went to court on Friday to obtain an order
to ensure his two hours of freedom each day do not coincide with school
opening and closing times.

Concerns were raised after the Mail’s revelations last Tuesday when a
judge ruled Qatada must be allowed to walk his youngest son to school.

A senior legal source said: ‘There was a hearing on Friday. The court
came back and said the Home Office request was fine. Abu Qatada won’t be
able to do the school run.’

Police have a 'duty of care' to protect Qatada and his family

Police have a ‘duty of care’ to protect Qatada and his family

Despite that victory, ministers are prepared for a fresh public backlash
today as details emerge of the huge sums that will be spent protecting
the extremist.

Security costs are estimated to be around £500,000 a year on top of the
£1million in benefits, prison costs and legal fees the terror 
sympathiser has drained from the public purse.

A panic alarm has been installed in his house amid fears that the bailed
Muslim cleric, his wife and five children could be attacked by
vigilante mobs. Plans have also been drafted to move them to a safe
house in an emergency.

But police insist they have a ‘duty of care’ to Qatada, who has provided
spiritual inspiration to a string of Al Qaeda terrorists including the
September 11 hijackers who murdered 3,000 innocent people in 2001.

It has also emerged that the tight restrictions he faces under his bail
conditions could be relaxed as soon as April, enabling him to spread his
poisonous views in the run up to the Olympics.

Incredibly, even though ministers believe Qatada, 52, poses a serious
risk to national security, he could be totally free within two years.
Tory MP Patrick Mercer, a former infantry officer, said: ‘This is a
disgrace. The money will be spent as much on protecting him as
protecting us and adds insult to the injury on the taxpayer pocket.’

Release: Qatada was released from Long Lartin jail, Worcestershire, today

Release: Qatada was released from Long Lartin jail, Worcestershire, today

Kim Beer, whose son Phil, 22, died in the July 7 terror bombings in
London in 2005, said: ‘What gives these people the right to be free?

‘They don’t care about the rights of the people they want to kill. My life ended the day my son was murdered.’

Robin Simcox, of the Henry Jackson Society, a foreign policy think-tank,
said: ‘The situation should have been resolved long ago.

‘Qatada was here illegally on a forged passport and spent a decade
encouraging young British Muslims to fight and die in foreign places in
the name of religion.

‘The fundamental question is whether the country should be able to
decide whether a dangerous man with a litany of terror connections
should live here. That we are paying to protect him with police officers
is utterly obscene.’

The scandal has erupted because ministers’ attempts to deport Qatada to
Jordan to stand trial on terror charges were blocked three weeks ago by
the European Court of Human Rights.

It ruled the extremist could not be sent back while there was a risk of torture-obtained evidence being used against him.

And last week an immigration judge in London decided Qatada could not be
kept behind bars while awaiting deportation, having been locked up
without charge for six and a half years.

Mr Justice Mitting said he should be released on bail from Long Lartin
high-security prison in Worcestershire to his home, thought to be in
Wembley, north-west London.

But he also warned tough bail conditions could be eased on April 17 unless Britain makes progress in negotiations with Jordan.

Security minister James Brokenshire is expected to travel to Jordan as
early as today in the hope of finalising an agreement that evidence
acquired through torture will not be used against Qatada if he is kicked
out of Britain.

Son follows firebrand's footsteps

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have not been moderated.

Let’s hope he is not with us for long. In every sense of the word.

Just get him out!! I don’t see why there are ‘options’ to be considered! Surely we are not so weak as a country that we need to have permission to get rid of somebody like this. Absolutely ludicrous. Do we need to have good relations with countries like Jordan if the price we pay for it is having to look after animals like this for the rest of their lives? Good gracious, I wish someone would demonstrate a bit of common sense before the whole country goes down the pan.

This man should NOT be aloud to stay, but reading some of the comments I cant help but wonder and worry that many people are becoming the same as he is. Comments like how ulgy his wife is and the price of bullets only bring us down to his level. Kick him out, but dont let his kind of thinking become our

Folks, to all those preaching hate and violence on this site Please stop it or You are simply no better than Qatada…..(!)

How on earth can this odious alie be freed if he’s been found guilty of preaching hate? — Oh I know, he hasn’t actualy been charged, never mnd taken to court and had a trial. – If he really is that bad charge him, and while he’s in custody, shave of that ludicrous pantomime beard. – If nothing else, that beard must surely be a crominal offence. Has he any idea what he looks like? —— Tell abunch of hooides where he lives, and see what happens. – ClothKap, England, 13/2/2012 20:10 So you wouldn’t mind him living next door to you then?

How on earth can this odious alie be freed if he’s been found guilty of preaching hate? — Oh I know, he hasn’t actualy been charged, never mnd taken to court and had a trial. – If he really is that bad charge him, and while he’s in custody, shave of that ludicrous pantomime beard. – If nothing else, that beard must surely be a crominal offence. Has he any idea what he looks like? —— Tell abunch of hooides where he lives, and see what happens.

Isn’t it the Human Right of every pensioner in this country to be looked after by the Government and not freeze to death because they can’t afford to keep warm? Or is it the case that this man Qatads’s Human Rights come first and we spend millions of pounds in order to protect his right to his obnoxious views and beliefs to the point where he can preach them on our streets? Jeez what has this country come to?

Pah, I’ve had enought of all this. I’m off for a pint now with my mate Abu, and I’m going to tell him what you lot said about him and where you live.

Wow the wifes a stunner lol

This thing should rot in jail for the rest of it’s lift not be let out!! He’ll have plenty of time to have a shave in jail, too.

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