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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Two Syrian Infiltrators Arrested Near Shabaa

2014-12-16

[AnNahar] The Lebanese army has tossed in the clink Keep yer hands where we can see 'em, if yez please! two Syrians for trying to infiltrate the southern town of Shabaa through Mount Hermon, the state-run National News Agency reported on Monday. NNA said members of a military checkpoint - erected at the eastern end of Shabaa - apprehended Ibrahim Mazrdakash and Omar Othman as they were trying to reach the town via Mount Hermon's heights. The two men hail from the Syrian town of Beit Jinn, which is located southwest of Damascus on the foothills of Mount Hermon, NNA said. The town lies on the border with Leb's Hasbaya district. After their arrest, the Syrians were questioned by the military, the agency added.

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Britain

Fresh Setback for Britain in Battle to Deport Abu Qatada

2013-04-24

[An Nahar] The British government faced a fresh setback on Tuesday in its long-running legal battle to deport radical preacher Abu Qatada, but insisted it would not give up trying to send him to Jordan. The Court of Appeal refused ministers permission to challenge its ruling last month that the terror suspect, also known as Omar Othman, cannot be deported to Jordan because of human rights One man's rights are another man's existential threat. concerns. "The Court of Appeal has refused permission" to the government to take the case to the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court, a front man for the Judicial Office told Agence La Belle France Presse. However, if you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning... the refusal is not fatal to the case because ministers are entitled to ask the Supreme Court directly to hear their appeal -- and officials indicated they would do exactly that. "We are disappointed with the Court of Appeal's decision but will now request permission to appeal directly from the Supreme Court," a front man for the interior ministry said. "The government remains committed to deporting this dangerous man and we continue to work with the Jordanians to address the outstanding legal issues preventing deportation." There is huge frustration in London over the failure to deport a man considered "an exceptionally high-risk terrorist", who has successfully blocked his removal for eight years. A Spanish judge once branded him the right-hand man in Europe of the late Osama bin Laden ... who used to be alive but now he's not... , although Abu Qatada denies ever meeting the late al-Qaeda leader. The preacher was convicted in Jordan of terrorism charges in his absence, and is likely to face a retrial if he is returned. But the European Court of Human Rights last year blocked his deportation over fears that evidence obtained through torture would be used against him in the new trial.

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Britain

Radical cleric, alleged terror fund-raiser Abu Qatada wins deportation battle

2012-11-12

Radical cleric Abu Qatada has won a legal battle that means he will not be deported from the United Kingdom to Jordan, the latest round in a long-running battle over British efforts to deport the man accused of funding terrorist groups and said to have inspired one of the 9/11 hijackers. The British government says Abu Qatada raised money for terrorist groups, including organizations linked to former al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and has publicly supported the violent activities of those groups. Videos of his preaching were found in a German apartment used by some of those involved in the 9/11 attacks on the United States, including ringleader Mohammed Atta. Abu Qatada has denied the allegations against him. Also known as Omar Othman, Abu Qatada arrived in the United Kingdom in 1993 and applied for asylum on the grounds that he had been tortured by Jordanian authorities. He came to Britain on a forged United Arab Emirates passport, according to court documents, and claimed asylum for himself, his wife and their three children. Britain has been trying to deport Abu Qatada for years, but his legal appeals have kept him in the United Kingdom. In January, the European Court of Human Rights blocked Britain from sending him to Jordan because of fears that evidence obtained by torture could be used against him at the trial planned by the Middle Eastern country. Britain then launched a round of negotiations with Jordan in order to deal with the court's concerns and arrested Abu Qatada again on April 17. "The government strongly disagrees with this ruling. We have obtained assurances not just in relation to the treatment of Qatada himself, but about the quality of the legal processes that would be followed throughout his trial," a Home Office spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the government would appeal today's ruling.

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Britain

Abu Qatada loses extradition appeal in European court

2012-05-10

LONDON: A radical preacher accused of giving inspiration to one of the 9/11 hijackers lost a legal bid in the European courts yesterday to challenge Britain's long-running attempts to deport him to Jordan to stand trial on terrorism charges. About time, though given the Euro system he may have nine more layers of appeals before he's finally shipped... Abu Qatada, once described by a Spanish judge as "Osama Bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe," had asked the European Court of Human Rights to refer his case to a panel of its most senior judges. The court said it turned down his request, paving the way for Britain to send him back to Jordan after a decade of legal wrangling over his fate. It gave no reasons for its refusal. Qatada's lawyers had argued that he risked being tortured in Jordan or being convicted using evidence extracted from others using torture. Britain reached an agreement with Jordan in 2005 to try to ensure Qatada is not mistreated if he is returned to Jordan. "I am pleased by the European court's decision," said British Home Secretary (interior minister) Theresa May. "The Qatada case will now go through the British courts. "I am confident the assurances we have from Jordan mean we can put Qatada on a plane and get him out of Britain." However, in an embarrassment for the British government, the judges confirmed that Qatada had lodged his appeal request in time, contradicting May's original claims that he had been too late. His case has been a headache for successive British governments, accused by critics of not doing enough to deport Qatada. Twice convicted in his absence in Jordan of involvement in terrorism plots, the preacher is still a national security risk, Britain says, and should be deported before London hosts the Olympic Games in July and August. Qatada, whose real name is Omar Othman, has been in and out of jail since he was first detained without charge under British anti-terrorism laws in 2002. Britain says videotapes of his sermons were found in a German apartment used by three of the people who carried out Al-Qaeda's Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

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Britain

Qatada free in days after May got the date wrong

2012-04-20

All they have to do is remove any security they give him. Then put a million pound, wanted dead or alive, bounty on his head. That wonderful salafist beard of his would be country mile behind him trying to catch up as he bolts for Dar al Islam. Abu Qatada, the extremist Muslim cleric, could be released back into society within days because of the confusion over his deportation appeal to Europe, a senior immigration judge suggested. Mr Justice Mitting indicated that he would reconsider the preacher’s detention if his deportation was “not imminent”. Yesterday Theresa May, the Home Secretary, was faced with mounting evidence that her officials had made an error over a deadline for Qatada, whose real name is Omar Othman, to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, which may have allowed him to prolong his stay in Britain for up to a year. Any prospect of a lengthy legal process would greatly increase the chances of the cleric once described as Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe being granted bail, the judge suggested. Mrs May insists she was free to arrest Qatada and restart deportation proceedings on Tuesday because a deadline to appeal to the Grand Chamber of the Strasbourg court passed at midnight on Monday. But Qatada’s lawyers argue that the deadline was 24 hours later, and submitted a last-ditch appeal on Tuesday night.

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Britain

Al-Qaeda warns UK against handing over cleric to Jordan

2012-04-10

Al-Qaeda has warned Britain against handing over a radical Islamic cleric to Jordan after his release from prison, saying such a move will open the "door of evil" for the British government and its people, according to an Islamist website. Britain freed Abu Qatada from prison in February to live under virtual house arrest after a court ruled that his detention without trial was unlawful. "It has come to our attention that the British government intends to hand over the honorable Sheikh Abu Qatada al-Filistini to the agent Jordanian government, claiming it had secured assurances and covenants not to torture him," the group said in a statement posted on an Islamist site late on Monday. "Based on all that, we in Qaedat al-Jihad (Al-Qaeda) place the responsibility on the British government of handing over Sheikh Abu Qatada to the Jordanian government, and let it be known that by doing so, under any pretext, it will open the door of evil for it and its citizens, which it can do without." Okay, just shoot Abu Qatada... It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the statement in Arabic. Twice convicted in absentia in Jordan of involvement in terrorist plots, Britain says Abu Qatada is still a national security risk and should be deported before London hosts the Olympic Games in July and August. The 51-year-old, whose real name is Omar Othman, has been in and out of jail since he was first detained without charge under British anti-terrorism laws in 2002.

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Britain

Britain frees radical cleric Abu Qatada

2012-02-14

You really have to wonder if most of Europe has a death wish... LONDON - A radical cleric once described as "Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe" was freed from a British prison to live under virtual house arrest on Monday after a court ruled that his detention without trial was unlawful. The Jordanian preacher known as Abu Qatada must wear an electronic tag to allow the police to keep track of him, spend 22 hours a day at his family home and is banned from using the Internet and mobile phones. Twice convicted in his absence in Jordan of involvement in terrorist plots, Britain says he is still a national security risk and should be deported before London hosts the Olympic Games in July and August. Britain says videotapes of his sermons were found in a German apartment used by three of the people who carried out al Qaeda's September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Qatada was released from the high-security Long Lartin prison in central England on Monday night, a source familiar with the case said. The government declined to comment. Television pictures showed him being driven out of the prison in a van. The 51-year-old, whose real name is Omar Othman, has been in and out of jail since he was first detained without charge under British anti-terrorism laws in 2002. Under strict bail conditions, he will only be allowed out of the house for two hours each day and visitors must vetted. Qatada cannot go to mosques or lead prayer sessions. His bail papers say that if he bumps into a friend in the street, he must "after any initial greeting, disengage himself from the situation whether by explaining the terms of his bail order or by making an excuse." The European Court of Human Rights ruled last week that his detention without charge was unlawful and that Britain must not send him to Jordan. Seven European judges ruled that Qatada would not receive a fair trial in Jordan because evidence against him may have been obtained using torture. His case has been a thorn in the side of successive British governments. Prime Minister David Cameron, under pressure from some in his Conservative Party to stand up to Europe, said last week it was "completely unacceptable" that Britain can not detain Qatada or deport him. So deport him. You could offer him a choice: Jordan or Ice Station Zebra.

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Britain

Abu Qatada ordered back to jail

2008-12-03

One of the most high-profile terrorism suspects in Britain was ordered back to jail on Tuesday after it was ruled he had breached his bail conditions. Jordanian cleric Omar Othman, better known as Abu Qatada and who was once described as Osama bin Laden's top operative in Europe, had been accused of plotting to flee Britain. "I'm pleased that the court has agreed that Abu Qatada should have his bail revoked," said Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. "He poses a significant threat to our national security and am I pleased that he will be detained pending his deportation, which I am working hard to secure." Qatada was arrested by the British authorities in 2002 under now defunct laws which allowed foreigners suspected of involvement in terrorism to be held without charge. He was later freed on bail but was detained again in 2005 as part of a group of Arab men the government wanted to deport on national security grounds while acknowledging it did not have enough evidence to put them on trial. However, earlier this year Qatada defeated the attempt to deport him after Appeal Court judges ruled he would not face a fair trial in his homeland and in June he was freed from prison on bail, albeit on strict conditions. These stated that he had to be confined to his home for 22 hours a day and could only leave between 10 and 11 am and 2 and 3 pm. He was also forbidden from using any mobile telephone or computer, or connecting in any way to the Internet.

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