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Hate preacher Abu Qatada's bail conditions under review after his meeting with car bomb extremist
Last updated at 15:54pm on 04.09.08
Meeting: Hate preacher Abu Qatada (left) with car bomb terrorist Yasser Al-Sirri
Abu Qatada's bail conditions were under review last night after security experts said allowing the hate preacher to associate with a convicted terrorist made a 'mockery' of the rules.
Home Office officials are investigating the Daily Mail's exclusive picture showing Qatada - dubbed 'Osama Bin Laden's ambassador in Europe' - strolling through London with fellow fanatic Yasser Al-Sirri.
Incredibly, Al-Sirri, who was convicted in Egypt and sentenced to death in absentia for his part in a 1993 car bomb attack - was not included on a list of more than 20 extremists with whom the preacher of hate is banned from associating.
Whitehall sources said the Home Office is reviewing the evidence to see whether there are grounds to ask the courts to add Al-Sirri to the list.
They will also investigate claims that Qatada, whose bail conditions forbid the use of a mobile phone, was using Al-Sirri to pass on messages.
The Mail's picture, first published on Saturday, appeared to show Al-Sirri talking into a mobile after listening to an instruction from Qatada, who is under a 22-hour curfew.
Describing the bail conditions as 'nonsense', Tory MP Patrick Mercer, a security adviser to the Prime Minister, said: 'Yasser Al-Sirri is a dangerous individual. The fact he is allowed to associate with Abu Qatada makes a mockery of Qatada's bail conditions.
'The Home Office has got to stop its tinkering and ensure that proper checks and measures are in place to protect the public from extremists. That includes adding Al-Sirri to the list of those Qatada cannot associate with.'
Al-Sirri, 46, is a former member of Egypt's Islamic Jihad. In 1993, the group attempted to assassinate the then Egyptian prime minister using a car bomb outside a girls' school. The attack failed, but a 12-year-old girl was killed in the blast.
Al-Sirri had left Egypt the previous year and claimed he had no direct role in the attack.
Although Egypt has repeatedly called for his extradition, Britain has refused. Home Office officials are now trying to establish whether Al-Sirri was considered and discounted from their list, or if there was an oversight.
A spokesman for the department said: 'The list can be reviewed and we will seek the permission of the court to add or remove individuals as appropriate.' However, proving Qatada was using Al-Sirri to communicate via mobile phone - in breach of his bail terms - is likely to prove difficult, as it would need evidence of what was said.
The spokesman added: 'Any evidence of an alleged breach of Special Immigration Appeals Commission bail conditions will be investigated and appropriate action will be taken.'
Yesterday, the think tank Centre for Social Cohesion, formerly part of Civitas, which identified Al-Sirri from the photograph, said: 'Although Al-Sirri has never been convicted in a UK court, there is ample evidence to suggest he has been involved in radical Islamic movements since the early 1990s.
'During this time, he has been closely associated with leading extremists both in the UK and abroad. That Abu Qatada is allowed freely to meet with such an individual - and to apparently use him to pass on messages - indicates serious flaws in Qatada's bail conditions.'
Qatada was granted bail by the courts earlier this year, after they ruled it would be a breach of human rights law to return the hate preacher to his native Jordan.
The judges said that - even though the Home Office had an agreement that Qatada would not be harmed - some of the evidence used against him may have been obtained by torture.
The Home Office is appealing to the House of Lords, with the case expected to be heard later this year. If ministers lose, Qatada cannot be held on bail, but is likely to be placed under a less- strict control order.
Reader views (14)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
"The Judiciary in this country is playing politics with our lives."
No they're not - they're upholding the law. And if politicians have a problem with the law, it's their job to change it.
If you still disagree, perhaps you could cite a recent example of a legal judgement that ended up contravening the law because the judge preferred to "play politics"?
- Michael, London
By the way, I'm sure those bags of groceries they're carrying are all paid by us taxpayers. What a joke.
- Martin, London
"... to ask the courts ..."? Fat chance then.
The Judiciary in this country is playing politics with our lives. Also any attempt to lock them up will only be superseded by the EUs 'Human Rights' act.
The two words most abused in the English vocabulary "Human Rights" and "British".
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
This demonstrates that despite what they repeatedly say, government ministers lack the political will to do anything significant about the risk of terrorism, by easy of making effective law or new regulations. They fear the loss of the Muslim vote will contribute to the collapse of New Labour and the loss of their political skins.
- Peter Haldane, London
How can this person have been on bail anyway? Murder suspects do not get bail and terror or 'hate preachers' (who teach with murder in mind) should be treated the same.
- Kitty, London
Ridiculous, why we keep these people in our country is beyond me. They commit a crime, they should be sent back to their original home, just like an English that commit crimes whilst living abroad are sent straight back home.
- Nl, London
I guess a lot of people think he should be deported, regardless of Gordon Brown's grave concerns that he might have a nasty time in Jordan. However, the threat to us would be greater. At least while here, he can be monitored. Shopping trips with known car bombers seems a bit of an oversight. I wonder what they bought?
- Ben Farrell, London
Why is this enemy of Britain still here; is it because the NuLabour elite have too much in common with him?
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
Let's all pray to god (or allah) that they are planning a Guido Fawkes moment.
- Jimbob, Kensington
Mockery, too late for that I am afraid. We educate, clothe, feed and house the very people that want to destroy the British way of life.
- Gareth, Hackney
I cannot believe that it is beyond the bounds of randomness or possibility for Qatada to have a fatal accident by hitting his head against a bullet.
- Adam, Harrow, uk
After our experiences with Muslim extremists over recent years, notwithstanding the number of Muslims currently on trial for a variety of offences, mainly linked to terrorism, it is very hard to believe that in this Country we allow two dangerous radical Islamists to roam the streets at will: I can't help but think "Those who the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad".
- Alan, Essex
It's so simple - send them both back where they belong. Honestly, who in their right mind actually gives a toss what the Egyptians and Jordanians do to these two once they're handed over.
- Crm, London
Two things here. First: Why is this Abu Qatada in this country? He should be deported to Jordan to stand trial in his home country for terrorism as he is a known terrorist. Second: Why is a convicted car bomber from Egypt also in this country and allowed to roam freely, even after Egypt has repeatedly asked for his extradition? This government clearly ignores the human rights of its citizens and only protects the rights of immigrants and known terrorists, for this they should be removed from power for the safety of this nation.
- Brandon Thomas, London SW7
