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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Abu Qatada deportation treaty approved by UK | Abu Qatada deportation treaty approved by UK |
| (3 months later) | |
| The government has approved a treaty geared towards ejecting the radical cleric Abu Qatada from the country. | The government has approved a treaty geared towards ejecting the radical cleric Abu Qatada from the country. |
| The agreement, announced by the home secretary in April, is intended to allay fears that evidence extracted through torture will be used against the terror suspect at a retrial. | The agreement, announced by the home secretary in April, is intended to allay fears that evidence extracted through torture will be used against the terror suspect at a retrial. |
| The parliamentary scrutiny process was completed on Friday, leaving a handful of legal steps before the deportation process can begin. Both houses of the Jordanian parliament and King Abdullah have also approved the treaty. | The parliamentary scrutiny process was completed on Friday, leaving a handful of legal steps before the deportation process can begin. Both houses of the Jordanian parliament and King Abdullah have also approved the treaty. |
| However, Theresa May has previously warned that even when the treaty is fully ratified it will not necessarily mean that Abu Qatada will be on a plane to Jordan within days. The case remains open to legal challenge. | However, Theresa May has previously warned that even when the treaty is fully ratified it will not necessarily mean that Abu Qatada will be on a plane to Jordan within days. The case remains open to legal challenge. |
| A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We welcome the approval of the treaty by both the UK and Jordanian parliaments. Our focus remains on seeing Qatada on a plane to Jordan at the earliest opportunity." | A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We welcome the approval of the treaty by both the UK and Jordanian parliaments. Our focus remains on seeing Qatada on a plane to Jordan at the earliest opportunity." |
| The treaty must be published in the Jordanian government's official gazette and a number of diplomatic notes must be exchanged before the treaty enters into force. It is understood this will be done by the end of the month. | The treaty must be published in the Jordanian government's official gazette and a number of diplomatic notes must be exchanged before the treaty enters into force. It is understood this will be done by the end of the month. |
| Last month Abu Qatada unexpectedly volunteered to leave the country as soon as the treaty between the UK and Jordan was ratified by both countries. | Last month Abu Qatada unexpectedly volunteered to leave the country as soon as the treaty between the UK and Jordan was ratified by both countries. |
| The government has been trying to deport Abu Qatada to Jordan, where he was convicted of terror charges in his absence in 1999, for about eight years. | The government has been trying to deport Abu Qatada to Jordan, where he was convicted of terror charges in his absence in 1999, for about eight years. |
| It emerged last week that the fight to remove him from Britain had cost the taxpayer more than £1.7m since 2005. | It emerged last week that the fight to remove him from Britain had cost the taxpayer more than £1.7m since 2005. |
| Abu Qatada is behind bars at London's Belmarsh prison after breaching a bail condition which restricts use of mobile phones and other communication devices. | Abu Qatada is behind bars at London's Belmarsh prison after breaching a bail condition which restricts use of mobile phones and other communication devices. |
| The special immigration appeals commission (Siac) heard that a USB stick understood to belong to Abu Qatada's eldest son contained "jihadist files" made by the "media wing of al-Qaida". | The special immigration appeals commission (Siac) heard that a USB stick understood to belong to Abu Qatada's eldest son contained "jihadist files" made by the "media wing of al-Qaida". |
| Abu Qatada is also being investigated by Scotland Yard over suspected extremist material found during a search of his home. | Abu Qatada is also being investigated by Scotland Yard over suspected extremist material found during a search of his home. |
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