Abu Qatada to return to Jordan voluntarily

Radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada will return to Jordan voluntarily when the Jordanian parliament ratifies a deal with Britain that ensures he will receive a fair trial, the cleric’s lawyer told a London court yesterday.

Abu Qatada’s pledge is a victory for the British government after nearly eight years of unsuccessful attempts to deport the cleric, who is accused of spreading radical ideas that once inspired one of the 9/11 hijackers.

Courts have repeatedly blocked deportation on the grounds that a trial in Jordan of Abu Qatada risked being tainted by the use of evidence obtained using torture.

Britain last month announced it had signed a new treaty with Jordan aimed at addressing those concerns. – (Reuters)