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British judges on
Tuesday dealt a fresh blow to efforts to expel a radical cleric once described
as Osama bin Laden's "right-hand man in Europe," prompting the
government to vow to take its case to the country's highest court.
Britain says Abu
Qatada, whose sermons were found in a Hamburg flat used by some of those who
carried out the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, is a security risk and
should be returned to his native Jordan, where he was convicted on terrorism
charges in 1999.
But in an increasingly
embarrassing saga for Home Secretary Theresa May, judges have repeatedly
blocked the move, citing fears that evidence obtained through torture may be
used against Qatada in an expected retrial in Jordan.
Last month, judges
rejected an appeal against a November ruling by Britain's Special Immigration
Appeals Commission blocking Qatada's deportation, prompting the government to
seek permission to appeal to Britain's highest court.
The Court of Appeal,
which filters requests to appeal to the Supreme Court, has now rejected the
government's request.
"We are
disappointed with the Court of Appeal's decision but will now request
permission to appeal directly from the Supreme Court," the Home Office
said in a statement.
"The government
remains committed to deporting this dangerous man and we continue to work with
the Jordanians to address the outstanding legal issues preventing
deportation," the statement added.
Although the government
can request permission to appeal to the Supreme Court directly, success is seen
as less likely than if the Court of Appeal had agreed to allow it.
The government will
have no other legal avenues left if the Supreme Court decides not to hear its
case.
Qatada, once described
by a Spanish judge as "Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe"
has been in and out of jail since first being arrested in 2001, and was last
month sent back to jail for breaching his bail conditions.
His presence in Britain
has been an embarrassment for the Conservative-led government, which has
pledged to toughen immigration rules and has promised to get rid of him.
May's lawyers have
described him as a "truly dangerous" individual, a point judges do
not dispute. But despite assurances from Jordan, they fear a "flagrant
denial of justice" if Qatada were returned there for a retrial.
Britain's opposition
Labour party said the government had employed a "failed" legal
strategy.
"A year ago
Theresa May promised Abu Qatada would soon be on a plane. Now it is clear her
legal strategy has completely failed," Labour interior affairs spokeswoman
Yvette Cooper said.
"We want to see
Abu Qatada deported as a matter of urgency to face fair trial in Jordan,"
she added. "The Home Secretary and the courts have said he is a very
dangerous man."
Sources :
http://www.voanews.com/content/britain-judges-block-cleric-abu-qatada-expulsion-jordan/1647321.html
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