British court allows radical cleric's deportation

LONDON, Feb 26 (Reuters) A hardline Islamic cleric believed to have close links to al Qaeda in Britain today lost his appeal against a government decision to deport him to Jordan.

The case of Abu Qatada, a Jordanian national who came to Britain in 1993, was a key test of British efforts to deport people to countries accused of torture by securing special agreements that deportees would not be ill treated.

Dismissing Abu Qatada's appeal, the court ruled that while he would likely be interrogated on his return by Jordanian and US authorities, the cleric would benefit from intense local and international media scrutiny.

''The Jordanians and the US would each be careful to ensure that the US did not overstep the mark in the way it carried out its interrogation,'' its written judgment said.

''We take the view that all the relevant Jordanian authorities would be scrupulous to observe the law, under the spotlight,'' it said.

Abu Qatada's lawyer Gareth Peirce said her client, who is in jail awaiting the ruling, would appeal. ''We say this is sending him to a flagrant denial of justice,'' she told reporters.

Britain has tried to tackle the question of possible torture by signing special agreements with countries such as Jordan containing guarantees that deportees will be well treated.

The memoranda of understanding are meant to circumvent European human rights legislation which forbids member states from deporting people to countries where they could be tortured.

Abu Qatada has twice been convicted by Jordan in absentia of involvement in terrorist plots and argues he would be ill treated by authorities if he were sent back to his homeland.

''We are also pleased that the court has recognised the value of memoranda of understanding,'' Home Secretary (Interior Minister) John Reid said in a statement, adding that the ruling would allow Britain to meet its ''international obligations''.

''It is our firm belief that these agreements strike the right balance between allowing us to deport individuals who threaten the security of this country and safeguarding the rights of these individuals on their return,'' he said.

Abu Qatada has repeatedly been linked to radical Islamist groups including Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network.

Authorities say 18 videotapes of his sermons were found in an apartment in Germany used by three of the suicide hijackers who carried out the September 11 2001 attacks on the United States.

Abu Qatada was detained in 2002 and held without trial by British authorities under legislation rushed through after the September 11 attacks.

REUTERS PB VC1752