The CSC applauds the action taken by the Lord Laws to uphold the decision to deport Abu Qatada to Jordan, but believes the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) were misguided in awarding him £2,500 for a supposed breach of human rights he suffered while in the UK.
Abu Qatada arrived in Britain on a fake passport in 1993. He is known
as an al-Qaeda 'spiritual adviser' in Europe, and is said to be Osama
bin Laden's 'right hand man' in Europe. Furthermore he is:
• Known to be an inspiration to the 9/11 terrorists, with recordings of his found in the flat of the 9/11 bombers
• Linked to the Madrid bombings of 2004
• Convicted of terrorism offences in absentia in Jordan
• Known to have provided religious advice to Zacarias Moussaoui, convicted of conspiracy to murder in relation to the 9/11 attacks and 'shoe bomber' Richard Reid
• Accused of financing terrorism abroad
• Known to have been found in possession of money that was to be passed to the Chechan mujihadeen
• Wanted by police in America, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Spain
The CSC has previously recorded Abu Qatada's attempts to incite hatred in the UK.
• In June 2008 the CSC revealed that Abu Qatada had called for the murder of non-Muslims in speeches given in the UK
• In August 2008, the CSC revealed that whilst under curfew, he had been meeting with Yasser al-Sirri, a convicted Egyptian extremist with alleged links to al-Qaeda
Despite this, the government have decided not to prosecute Abu Qatada. Instead they have continued to provide him with security and financial support. The decision to hand Abu Qatada £2,500 for supposed human rights violations by the UK government is extraordinary considering his continued calls for violence against UK citizens.
Human rights group Liberty have attempted to defend the ruling by claiming that the £2,500 figure is an insignificant amount. However any compensation being given at all to a figure that has been linked to some of the most significant terrorist attacks in modern times is an insult to those who lost family members in the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks of for whom Abu Qatada was such an inspiration.
• Known to be an inspiration to the 9/11 terrorists, with recordings of his found in the flat of the 9/11 bombers
• Linked to the Madrid bombings of 2004
• Convicted of terrorism offences in absentia in Jordan
• Known to have provided religious advice to Zacarias Moussaoui, convicted of conspiracy to murder in relation to the 9/11 attacks and 'shoe bomber' Richard Reid
• Accused of financing terrorism abroad
• Known to have been found in possession of money that was to be passed to the Chechan mujihadeen
• Wanted by police in America, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Spain
The CSC has previously recorded Abu Qatada's attempts to incite hatred in the UK.
• In June 2008 the CSC revealed that Abu Qatada had called for the murder of non-Muslims in speeches given in the UK
• In August 2008, the CSC revealed that whilst under curfew, he had been meeting with Yasser al-Sirri, a convicted Egyptian extremist with alleged links to al-Qaeda
Despite this, the government have decided not to prosecute Abu Qatada. Instead they have continued to provide him with security and financial support. The decision to hand Abu Qatada £2,500 for supposed human rights violations by the UK government is extraordinary considering his continued calls for violence against UK citizens.
Human rights group Liberty have attempted to defend the ruling by claiming that the £2,500 figure is an insignificant amount. However any compensation being given at all to a figure that has been linked to some of the most significant terrorist attacks in modern times is an insult to those who lost family members in the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks of for whom Abu Qatada was such an inspiration.
