U.K. government resisting Qatada bail application

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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U.K. Home Secretary, Theresa May has full confidence over the PM, David Cameron to back her on Abu Qatada deportation row.

According to the Downing Street, the government will ‘vigorously’ resist any application for bail by lawyers for the radical cleric Abu Qatada. This statement was put forward immediately after the confusion caused by Abu Qatada’s appeal against his deportation.

Mrs. May had claimed on Thursday that Abu Qatada’s deportation case had “no right” to be referred to the European Court of Human Rights.

A Palestinian-Jordanian preacher, Abu Qatada is wanted in Jordan on bomb plotting charges but the ECHR is yet to choose whether to hear the case. However, an advice has been released by the Labour from the Council of Europe, which is ultimately responsible for the court, indicating that the appeal was narrowly within the allowed timescale.

There was a confusion over whether the appeal should have been allowed or not, and because the risk of Qatada escaping is considered to have increased, he has been returned to jail pending ‘imminent’ deportation. However, yesterday, the British special immigration appeals commission judge, Mr. Justice Mitting has pointed out in his written judgment that in case deportation would not be happening, he would reconsider bail. This would lead to the conclusion that Qatada may get back on British streets within two or three weeks.

More embarrassment and confusion had been faced by the government on Thursday, after a note emerged claiming that Qatada’s lawyers appeal was timely. It was signed by Nathalie Chene of the Secretariat of the Committee of Ministers Council of Europe, pressurizing that the decision on whether the appeal is legitimate now rests with a judges’ panel from the court’s Grand Chamber.

The note states: “The Othman (Qatada) case was supposed to become final on 17/04/2012 and, according to the information provided by the European Court, the applicant requested a referral to the Grand Chamber on the 17/04.”

“So I would say that it just in time but of course the Court (panel) may decide otherwise.”

The Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper has also criticised Mrs. May’s handling of the case and said: “The idea that Abu Qatada could be back on the streets of London within weeks, if not days, as a result of the Home Secretary’s decision is shocking. Theresa May has told us herself how dangerous she believes this man to be, yet now her own shambles could be what gets him out of jail.”

On Friday, a Downing Street spokesman was asked if the Mr. Cameron had full confidence in Mrs. May. The response was: “Yes.”

On asking further, if Mr. Cameron is confident that Abu Qatada would be deported, the reply came: “It is our firm intention to see him deported.”

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