A NOTORIOUS preacher who was on bail and facing deportation has been rearrested and remains in custody.
Abu Qatada, who moved to the Harrow area from Brent last year, is fighting deportation to Jordan to stand trial on terror charges. He was arrested on Friday last week by the UK Border Agency for alleged breach of his bail conditions.
The suspect, who is at the heart of a much publicised and lengthy legal battle with the Home Office which is trying to deport him, will face a bail hearing on Thursday and will remain in custody until then.
In a separate matter, Home Secretary Teresa May is challenging a decision by the Special Immigration and Appeals Commission (SIAC) in the Court of Appeal that deporting Mr Qatada would be a breach of his human rights if sent back to Jordon. Lawyers for both parties appeared on Monday in court and the judgement has been reserved for a later date.
As part of the same investigation, two residential addresses and one business address in north west London and one residential address in west London were searched on Thursday last week by the Met Police’s counter terrorism unit but no arrests were made.
In November last year SIAC blocked Qatada’s deportation as it was ruled that any trial he faced in Jordan would contain evidence gathered through torture.
