Finally, Qatada can be kicked out...followed by other militants

RADICAL Islamist cleric Abu Qatada is facing deportation after a ruling today which paves the way for dozens of other extremists to be removed from Britain.

Five Law Lords ruled that the militant preacher can be sent back to Jordan where he is facing jail for terrorism offences.

Qatada, 48, arrived in London from Jordan in September 1993 using a forged passport and claimed asylum for himself, his wife and children.

He was initially detained in 2002, when the Special Immigration Appeals Commission described him as a "truly dangerous individual" who was heavily involved in terrorist activities.

He was bailed and placed under a control order. In 2005 he was arrested in preparation for his deportation to Jordan, but was released on appeal.

Qatada has issued a series of fatwas from Britain in support of the killing of non-believers and videos of his sermons were found in the Hamburg flat of Mohammed Atta, one of the ringleaders of the 9/11 attacks.

Qatada, who has been described by a judge as Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe, had sought to avoid deportation after claiming that he could be tortured if sent back to his home country. The Law Lords rejected his appeal and declared that a "memorandum of understanding" agreed between the British and Jordanian governments, which contains a pledge that torture will not deployed, provided a sufficient guarantee that he would be treated fairly.

The Law Lords also backed a government bid to deport two Algerian extremists, who had also claimed that they are at risk of torture. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith welcomed the ruling and said that she would now seek to deport Qatada, who could still mount a final appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, as soon as possible.

"I'm delighted with the Lords' decision today in the cases of Abu Qatada and the two Algerians," Ms Smith said. "It highlights the threat these individuals pose to our nation's security and vindicates our efforts to remove them.

"My top priority is to protect public safety and ensure national security and I have signed Abu Qatada's deportation order which will be served on him today. I am keen to deport this dangerous individual as soon as I can."

The Government's independent anti-terrorism watchdog, Lord Carlile of Berriew, said the ruling could lead to many other extremists being ejected from the country, adding: "This is a hugely important judgment."

But Amnesty International's Nicola Duckworth urged ministers not to take today's judgment as a "green light" to deport more people to regimes which carried out unfair trials and torture.