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Abu Qatada cleared of terror charges Abu Qatada cleared of terror charges
(about 1 hour later)
Radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada has been found not guilty of terrorism offences by a court in Jordan.Radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada has been found not guilty of terrorism offences by a court in Jordan.
A panel of civilian judges sitting at Amman's State Security Court cleared him of being involved in a thwarted plot aimed at the Millennium celebrations in 2000. Judges said there was "insufficient evidence" to convict him of being involved in a thwarted plot against tourists and diplomats during Jordan's Millennium celebrations.
The ruling comes after he was acquitted in June of conspiring in a 1998 bombing campaign in Jordan. He was deported from the UK in 2013.
Abu Qatada was deported from the UK in July 2013. Abu Qatada's lawyers said they expected him to walk free within hours but Britain's Home Office said he was "not coming back to the UK".
The verdict follows a long legal battle by ministers in the UK to force the scholar to face trial in his home country. Ministers in the UK fought a long legal battle to force the 53-year-old scholar to face trial in his home country.
The trial was conducted at Jordan's state security court, housed in a military base in Marka, a suburb of the capital Amman. "It is right that the due process of law has taken place in Jordan," a spokesperson for the Home Office said.
UK courts had agreed Abu Qatada posed a threat to national security in the UK, they added.
His trial was conducted at Jordan's state security court, housed in a military base in Marka, a suburb of the capital Amman.
Abu Qatada was accused of providing spiritual support through his writings to men alleged to have planned a series of atrocities aimed at Western and Israeli targets in Jordan on Millennium Eve.Abu Qatada was accused of providing spiritual support through his writings to men alleged to have planned a series of atrocities aimed at Western and Israeli targets in Jordan on Millennium Eve.
Jordanian and American investigators had the cell under surveillance and launched raids on homes in Amman in the weeks leading up to New Year.Jordanian and American investigators had the cell under surveillance and launched raids on homes in Amman in the weeks leading up to New Year.
Prosecutors said that books by Abu Qatada were found and they accused him of supplying funds to the plotters. Prosecutors said that books by Abu Qatada were found in the raids and they accused him of supplying funds to the plotters.
He denied the allegations in a trial which was punctuated by a number of outbursts by the accused.He denied the allegations in a trial which was punctuated by a number of outbursts by the accused.
'Truly dangerous''Truly dangerous'
Although Abu Qatada will soon be free, he will not be returning to London.
The radical cleric, whose real name is Omar Othman, was granted asylum in the UK in 1994 but the security service MI5 increasingly saw him as a national security threat.The radical cleric, whose real name is Omar Othman, was granted asylum in the UK in 1994 but the security service MI5 increasingly saw him as a national security threat.
More than a decade ago the cleric issued rulings justifying suicide bombings. By 2005 the Home Office said he was giving religious legitimacy to those "who wish to further the aims of extreme Islamism and to engage in terrorist attacks".More than a decade ago the cleric issued rulings justifying suicide bombings. By 2005 the Home Office said he was giving religious legitimacy to those "who wish to further the aims of extreme Islamism and to engage in terrorist attacks".
While he was in the UK, Abu Qatada had been convicted in Jordan of conspiring in the two Jordanian plots. However, the convictions were eventually thrown out because they had been based on evidence which may have been acquired by torturing his co-defendants.While he was in the UK, Abu Qatada had been convicted in Jordan of conspiring in the two Jordanian plots. However, the convictions were eventually thrown out because they had been based on evidence which may have been acquired by torturing his co-defendants.
A treaty signed last year by Jordan and the UK banned the use of such evidence from trials in Jordan involving British deportees.A treaty signed last year by Jordan and the UK banned the use of such evidence from trials in Jordan involving British deportees.
That removed the final obstacle to deporting the man described by British judges as a "truly dangerous individual ... at the centre in the United Kingdom of terrorist activities associated with al-Qaeda".That removed the final obstacle to deporting the man described by British judges as a "truly dangerous individual ... at the centre in the United Kingdom of terrorist activities associated with al-Qaeda".
David Blunkett, who was home secretary when Abu Qatada was detained in 2002, believes the length of time it took to deport him was always going to make it more difficult to secure a conviction: "Abu Qatada's managed to do what he wanted to do, which was to prevaricate for 10 years.
"By doing that he's made it very, much more difficult for the prosecution. However, it also proves that he was wrong, because the case he made against extradition was that he wouldn't receive a fair trial in Jordan and he clearly has."