What to do with Qatada?

[AtW]

If he's that dangerous, what is airport security doing letting him on a plane?

He was gagged.

HTH

[amcdonald]

If he's that dangerous, what is airport security doing letting him on a plane?

Perhaps they wanted to reshoot Snakes on a Plane

[lilelvis2000]

It's slightly vague in the reporting, but it seems he's chosen to leave, or at least chosen to stop fighting it, rather than this being any kind of triumph for Teresa May. Probably because there's a good chance that he'll be acquitted of all charges, assuming the Jordanians honour their agreement not to use confessions obtained under torture.

So then he'll have an extremely strong case to sue the UK government for compensation for all those years he's spent being imprisoned without charge. I can imagine the Daily Mail headlines already.

All this govt. cares about right now - T. May especially as she keeps losing supreme court appeals - is that he has a "victory". And as he's muslim it's two for the massive price of one.

Though I am still not fully aware of what he's done. given that he wasn't ever allowed to give his side of the story..and after the whole "45min." Iraq thing and all the Met Police shenanigans - I'm highly sceptical of the govt. side of things. Does he has something the UK/USA doesn't want us to know?

[AtW]

Though I am still not fully aware of what he's done. given that he wasn't ever allowed to give his side of the story.

He was wanted on terrorism charges in his own country, was complete arsehole here (his behavior was certainly not conducive to public good in the UK) and had no inherent right to stay in this country in the first place - it should not be THAT costly and difficult to deport scumbags like him.

[SueEllen]

He was wanted on terrorism charges in his own country, was complete arsehole here (his behavior was certainly not conducive to public good in the UK) and had no inherent right to stay in this country in the first place - it should not be THAT costly and difficult to deport scumbags like him.

Human Rights init

Get yourself a British wife and make sure you have kids then they can't chuck you out because of the your right to a family life and more importantly the effect it will have your kids.

Alternatively if your parents are too mean to pay to make you a British Citizen grow up here for more than 5 years, then if you commit a crime before your 21st birthday the judges will say you have a right to be here.

[lilelvis2000]

He was wanted on terrorism charges in his own country, was complete arsehole here (his behavior was certainly not conducive to public good in the UK) and had no inherent right to stay in this country in the first place - it should not be THAT costly and difficult to deport scumbags like him.

Shame he wasn't a Brit wanted by the USA. Then he's be on the first flight out after the paperwork arrives.

[Scruff]

I think that they should have used him to define the term "Dead C**t Bounce"...

[vetran]

one down plenty more to go.

I see no reason why we should keep the world's terrorists in comfort.

If Qatada is truly innocent (his publicly recorded actions in the UK suggest he isn't) then I look forward to welcoming him back.

I'm not quite sure why so many believe the Judiciary AND the Government are determined to intentionally persecute innocent men?

[Old Hack]

one down plenty more to go.

I see no reason why we should keep the world's terrorists in comfort.

If Qatada is truly innocent (his publicly recorded actions in the UK suggest he isn't) then I look forward to welcoming him back.

I'm not quite sure why so many believe the Judiciary AND the Government are determined to intentionally persecute innocent men?

I think seeing the US put pressure on Western Europe to close their airspace to a presidential flight, on the slight suspicion Snowden was on-board, makes it clear to me that the US, and by nature of the relationship we have, the UK have a lot of things they've done which aren't legal. Given what is seeping out of every area of the police, and the corruptness of government, well, I'll always be skeptical they have our best interests at heart.

[VectraMan]

Though I am still not fully aware of what he's done.

BBC News - Abu Qatada: The security problem Jordan doesn?t need?

In April 1999 Abu Qatada, by then already in the UK, was convicted of conspiracy to cause explosions in what was known as the "Reform and Challenge" trial.

It followed a series of four bombings including of the American school and the Jerusalem Hotel in Amman the previous year.

The cleric was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment with hard labour.

But much of the evidence against him came from an incriminating statement by the plot ringleader, Abdul Nasser Al-Hamasher. He said Abu Qatada had provided encouragement before and praise after the attacks.

Claims of fund raising feature in the second plot linked to the cleric - but so do allegations of torture.

In 2000 the cleric was again tried and convicted in relation to a plot involving nearly 30 men.

"The Millennium Plot was extremely serious," Ali Soufan told the BBC. "They had the people in place. They knew the areas they wanted to hit. They had the plans for it.

"They had the safe houses. They were talking about bodies being in bags, lots and lots of dead people. That's what they wanted to accomplish."

Abu Qatada was accused of providing cash for a computer used in the plot and encouragement to the cell through his writings. He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment with hard labour.

So basically his crimes are encouraging terrorism, and buying some terrorists a computer. Does that make him a terrorist? And the evidence in both is from people who were probably tortured until they said what they were told to say.

Not wanting to stick up for the nutcase of course, but to anyone that at all believes in freedom of speech and expression, this is all a little worrying.