Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Interview: Lewis Thompson, VP Sport
    • En Garde!
    • BUWRU Still on Top
    • Hidden Histories: With The Archaeology Society
    • Beabadoobee Concert Review: Welcome to Beatopia
    • Taylor Swift: Midnights Review – The Stories of 13 Sleepless Nights
    • Claire Concert Review: Claire Cottrill in Concert!
    • Is There Hope For Percy Jackson?
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Flickr
    Seren
    • News & Politics
      1. Local News
      2. UK News
      3. Uni News
      4. World News
      5. Politics
      6. Comment
      7. Business
      Featured

      SABB Election: The Full Result Breakdown

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Redevelopment plans and the culture of Bangor

      October 28, 2022

      Immediate closure of Menai Bridge following reports of structural integrity issues

      October 28, 2022

      Racial abuse victim calls for harsher sentencing following nightclub assault

      October 28, 2022
    • Arts & Culture
      1. Books
      2. Games
      3. Film
      4. Music
      5. TV
      6. Creative Corner
      Featured

      Bangor alumni podcast earns Hollywood cameo & BBC features

      By Amelia SmithMarch 7, 20210
      Recent

      Beabadoobee Concert Review: Welcome to Beatopia

      October 29, 2022

      Taylor Swift: Midnights Review – The Stories of 13 Sleepless Nights

      October 29, 2022

      Claire Concert Review: Claire Cottrill in Concert!

      October 29, 2022
    • Lifestyle
      1. Fashion
      2. Food and Drink
      3. Social
      4. Health and Beauty
      5. Travel
      Featured

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      By Emily ShoultsMay 6, 20220
      Recent

      Gilmore Garms

      October 28, 2022

      Fleeces and Funk

      October 28, 2022

      Cheerleading: Getting your kit together

      October 28, 2022
    • Discovery
      1. Science
      2. Environment
      3. History
      4. International
      Featured

      Brewing up a Storm: The History of Guinness

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      North Wales Ramblings

      October 28, 2022

      Hamza Yassin: The Hard Work That Is Making Luck Happen

      October 28, 2022

      Student’s Union Hosts Repair Cafe for Sustainability Awareness Week

      October 28, 2022
    • Sport
      1. Varsity 2019
      2. Varsity 2018
      3. Varsity 2017
      4. Varsity 2016
      5. Varsity 2015
      6. Varsity 2014
      7. Varsity 2013
        • Varsity 2013 Results
        • Varsity 2013 – In tweets
      Featured

      Bangor Muddogs’ American Football: a young woman finding her place

      By Jade HillMarch 23, 20210
      Recent

      Interview: Lewis Thompson, VP Sport

      October 29, 2022

      En Garde!

      October 29, 2022

      BUWRU Still on Top

      October 29, 2022
    • Students’ Union
      1. Union News
      2. Societies
      3. Volunteering
      4. Clubs
      Featured

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      By Caroline CartmillMarch 17, 20210
      Recent

      Interview: Lewis Thompson, VP Sport

      October 29, 2022

      En Garde!

      October 29, 2022

      BUWRU Still on Top

      October 29, 2022
    • Issues
      • Current Issue
      • This year’s issues
      • Last year’s issues
      • Seren Archive
      • Seren Teams
    Seren
    Home»News & Politics»Politics»Abu Qatada released
    Politics

    Abu Qatada released

    serenBy serenDecember 19, 2012Updated:January 23, 2013No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Jordan’s acting information minister Nayef al-Fayez has said that his government shared the UK authorities’ disappointment at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) ruling on Monday. Both Jordan and the UK had a special interest in making sure that he was charged for his crimes but under British law, there isn’t even enough evidence to try him in a court.

    When Abu Qatada arrived back at his home in London, around lunchtime on Tuesday, a small group of protesters – holding a “get rid of Abu Qatada” placard – gathered outside and chanted, “Out, out, out.”

    Earlier this year, judges at the European Court in Strasbourg ruled the cleric – whose real name is Omar Othman – would not face ill-treatment if returned to Jordan, citing assurances outlined in a UK-Jordan agreement.

    Crucially, however, the judge did not believe he would get a fair trial because a Jordanian court could use evidence against Abu Qatada that had been obtained from the torture of others, which links into the idea that he cannot be tried in the UK.

    On Monday, despite the UK obtaining additional assurances from Jordan, Siac chairman Mr Justice Mitting ruled he was not satisfied Abu Qatada would be tried fairly.

    Based on the rulings from the Siac (Special Immigration Appeals Commission, which is a UK court) the Muslim cleric Abu Qatada has been freed on bail.

    He was released from Long Lartin prison, in Worcestershire. He has spent most of the last 10 years in custody.

    A UK court approved his appeal against deportation after deciding witness evidence obtained by torture might be used at trial in Jordan.

    The government believes the wrong legal test was applied and is going to appeal.

    “We had received a number of assurances from the Jordanian government – they had even changed their constitution,” a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said.

    Home Secretary Theresa May has applied for permission to appeal against a decision to block the removal of Jordanian terror suspect Abu Qatada.

    Papers have been lodged with the civil appeals office at the Court of Appeal ahead of a deadline later.

    An appeal in this case can be made only on a point of law, which will be difficult because they will have to find a law/laws which he could have potentially broken or ones that support the need for deportation.

    The home secretary said at the time of the ruling that she “strongly disagreed” with the judgment, claiming that the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) had applied the “wrong legal test”.

    ‘Completely fed up’

    The radical cleric faces a re-trial in Jordan for allegedly conspiring to cause explosions on Western and Israeli targets in 1998 and 1999. He was found guilty of terrorism offences in his absence in Jordan in 1999.

    Security chiefs believe he played a key ideological role in spreading support for suicide bombings. However, they only believe, they don’t have enough evidence or witnesses to prosecute him in the UK, which raises a troubling question; can anyone be judged to have played a role in al-Qaeda and shipped off to a country which is willing to do a deal with the UK and proclaim that the person was indeed somebody they were looking for?

    Last month, the Special Immigration Appeals Commission chairman Mr Justice Mitting ruled he was not satisfied that the preacher would be tried fairly in Jordan.

    He is the subject of bail conditions that include him being banned from travelling on the Tube, or by train, car, motorbike or bus and from using mobile phones and computers.

    Prime Minister David Cameron said he was “completely fed up” at the cleric’s release on bail.

    A judge will now consider the home secretary’s appeal application by examining documents on the case. The judge may make a decision, or decide that the application should be dealt with at a court hearing. A decision is expected to be made before Christmas.

    If the judge decides to refuse the application, the home secretary can ask a court to reconsider the matter.

    It isn’t enough to simply say that “yes, he’s a bad person, we should keep locked up”. We have the rule of law in this country, if we can’t prove that he has broken a law in the UK then how can we have kept him in prison? This seems more about politics than justice trying to be served; the West has in its possession what they believe to be a key part of al-Qaeda and they must be seen to do something about it. Moreover it seems like the government is simply trampling over hundreds of years of legal history just to get this man convicted.

    Abu Qatada government Jordan Mr Justice Mitting Nayef al-Fayez UK
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    seren

    Related Posts

    Has lockdown in halls caused a mental health crisis among students?

    February 8, 2021

    Llandudno Junction Cineworld to close along with others across the UK

    October 18, 2020

    Young artists fight back against government dismissing the industry

    October 10, 2020

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    MORE INFORMATION
    • ABOUT
    • ADVERTISE
    • CONTACT US
    • GET INVOLVED
    • MEMBERS
    Links
    • Bangor University Bangor University
    • Google+ Google+
    • Undeb Bangor Undeb Bangor
    About

    Seren is Bangor University Students’ Union’s English Language Newspaper

    We have editorial independence from both Bangor University and Bangor Students’ Union. Seren is written by students for students and we’d love you to get involved!

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.