Radical Islamist preacher whose deportation was blocked by deadline mix-up is launching fresh bid for release
The radical Islamist preacher Abu Qatada, who has spent more than six years in detention, will on Tuesday launch a fresh bid for release. Qatada's lawyers will apply to the high court for a writ of habeas corpus and permission to launch a judicial review of his continuing detention while he fights deportation to Jordan to stand trial on terrorist charges.
The man once described by a Spanish judge as Osama bin Laden's righthand man in Europe was freed briefly in February on the most restrictive bail conditions ever imposed in Britain, including a 22-hour curfew.
But the Jordanian was taken back to prison when the home secretary, Theresa May, ordered a new deportation attempt just hours before his lawyers lodged an appeal at the European court of human rights, which led to an immediate block on the deportation. May was accused by critics of letting Qatada off the hook and mixing up the date of his appeal deadline.
The fresh attempt to free him involves a challenge to a ruling by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in May that releasing him from prison during the Olympics would be "exceptionally problematic". His lawyers also claim there is no immediate prospect of his deportation.