Abu Qatada Released

The UK home secretary is disappointed, I'm PO. When are we going to take the kid gloves off with these assholes? Most people see this issue as a civil one that should be settled in courts, when in fact it is a national security issue and should be dealt by the barrel of a gun and a one way ticket back to where ever the fuck they came from. Guardian

The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, last night expressed her "extreme disappointment" at the decision yesterday by three high court judges to order the release of the radical preacher Abu Qatada, who has been described as Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe.

Qatada, who was still in Long Lartin maximum security prison in Worcestershire last night, is expected to be released next week, when bail conditions are expected to be agreed. It has already been agreed that at the minimum he will be placed under virtual house arrest and face a 22-hour curfew.

Last month Qatada, a Jordanian, won his appeal against the government's attempt to deport him on the grounds that he was likely to face a trial based on evidence obtained under torture by the Jordanian intelligence services.

....

The appeal court ruling last month, along with a similar judgment involving two Libyan terror suspects, was a big blow to the government's strategy of deportations with assurances. They were made despite the existence of a "memorandum of understanding" between Britain, Jordan and Libya that returned terror suspects would receive fair trials and not face torture or other ill-treatment.

The decision to bail Qatada was made by Mr Justice Mitting sitting with two colleagues yesterday at the special immigration appeals commission [Siac]. It is understood their decision was based on the fact Qatada won his appeal, that he has been detained in maximum security prisons for the best part of seven years, and that when he was placed under a "control order" for part of 2005 he did not breach any of its terms.

The judges did say Qatada continued to pose a threat to national security.

So why would you release the fucker?

It is expected that the bail conditions to be thrashed out will be similar to those used in anti-terror control orders. They include control over access to mobile phones and landlines, restrictions on the use of computers, an agreed boundary around the home address and constant unannounced visits for police, security services and immigration officers.

And we all know how well those control orders work.