Abu Qatada Bail: Labour Calls For Urgent Question Over Release

Theresa May Hauled To Commons To Explain Qatada Bail Implications

The government will answer an urgent question on the release of Abu Qatada in the Commons on Tuesday afternoon, after the decision to grant the the radical Muslim cleric bail was described as a "disgrace".

Labour has secured a debate on Qatada's release, which will be led by the home secretary Theresa May. The debate will begin in the Commons at 3:30pm.

Abu Qatada, who was once described as "Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe" will be on bail from next week and allowed to take his child to school, after being imprisoned for six and a half years while he fought deportation to Jordan.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told BBC Radio 4 that she accepted the government was in a difficult position, but demanded to know what Theresa May was doing in terms of trying to get Qatada deported. A court has ruled that Qatada may not be sent back to his native Jordan because he would be at risk of torture.

"We had already before the election agreed a series of safeguards with Jordan so Abu Qatada could be deported. But to get those safeaguards the government needs to do a bit more to secure that.

"Have minsters been to Jordan to discuss this? Have they taken the action that is needed to make this happen?" she said.

Cooper also suggested that TPIMs - the coalition's replacement for control orders - were weaker than the old regime for those who could not be convicted in the courts for a lack of admissible evidence, but for whom deportation is impossible.

Yvette Cooper said TPIMS were flawed because they automatically expired after two years.

"Control orders could be re-reviewed and could be extended by the courts with proper oversight, TPIM's can't," said Cooper.

TPIMS were passed into law shortly before Christmas, and while many believe they are just as draconian as control orders, Labour insist they amount to a watering-down of the government's ability to manage terrorist suspects.

The Home Office said they were considering their "legal options" in response to the ruling, and would argue for the "strictest possible" bail conditions.

Meanwhile, Downing Street said the case was not discussed at this morning's Cabinet meeting.

A spokeswoman said: "The Home Secretary is considering the judgment that was made yesterday. We are absolutely committed to protecting national security and we are taking all necessary measures to do so.

"We are in no doubt that this is a dangerous man and a man who poses a real threat to our security.

"He has not changed his views or attitudes to this country.

"We have argued for the strongest bail conditions. Our view is this is not the end of the road. We are considering the judgment and looking at what the options are."

Earlier on Tuesday morning, attorney general Dominic Grieve said the government was "very concerned" about the case and wanted to see the cleric back in Jordan.

"The government is obviously very concerned about this case, very much wishes to see Abu Qatada deported to Jordan, and when he’s in Jordan, tried fairly if the Jordanian authorities wish to put him on trial," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Former Counter-terrorism Minister Hazel Blears said on Tuesday morning Qatada's release was “a matter of extreme concern", while former Home Secretary David Blunkett said he was "extraordinarily dangerous".

Think tank the Henry Jackson Society labelled the decision a "disgrace" and shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper called on Theresa May to "explain urgently what action she is taking on the national security implications of this judgment".

Qatada will be bailed next week on a 22 hour curfew when he is released from high security jail Long Lartin jail next week.

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