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| Abu Qatada deported from UK to stand trial in Jordan | Abu Qatada deported from UK to stand trial in Jordan |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Radical cleric Abu Qatada has arrived in Jordan to face terrorism charges after being deported from the UK. | Radical cleric Abu Qatada has arrived in Jordan to face terrorism charges after being deported from the UK. |
| His plane left RAF Northolt at 02:46 BST to take him to his home country, which he has not visited in 20 years. | His plane left RAF Northolt at 02:46 BST to take him to his home country, which he has not visited in 20 years. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron said he was "delighted" that his removal had been achieved. | Prime Minister David Cameron said he was "delighted" that his removal had been achieved. |
| Abu Qatada was first arrested over alleged terror connections in 2001 and the UK has been battling to deport him for eight years. | Abu Qatada was first arrested over alleged terror connections in 2001 and the UK has been battling to deport him for eight years. |
| The Palestinian-Jordanian cleric's deportation was finally able to proceed after the UK and Jordan signed a treaty agreeing that evidence obtained through torture would not be used against him. | The Palestinian-Jordanian cleric's deportation was finally able to proceed after the UK and Jordan signed a treaty agreeing that evidence obtained through torture would not be used against him. |
| Home Secretary Theresa May said she was glad that the government's determination to remove him had been "vindicated". | Home Secretary Theresa May said she was glad that the government's determination to remove him had been "vindicated". |
| "This dangerous man has now been removed from our shores to face the courts in his own country," she said. | "This dangerous man has now been removed from our shores to face the courts in his own country," she said. |
| She added that she wanted to streamline such deportation processes in future. | She added that she wanted to streamline such deportation processes in future. |
| "I am also clear that we need to make sense of our human rights laws and remove the many layers of appeals available to foreign nationals we want to deport. | "I am also clear that we need to make sense of our human rights laws and remove the many layers of appeals available to foreign nationals we want to deport. |
| "We are taking steps - including through the new Immigration Bill - to put this right." | "We are taking steps - including through the new Immigration Bill - to put this right." |
| Abu Qatada was accompanied on the flight of around five hours by six people from Jordan, comprising three security officials, a psychologist, a medical examiner and his Jordanian lawyer, the BBC understands. | Abu Qatada was accompanied on the flight of around five hours by six people from Jordan, comprising three security officials, a psychologist, a medical examiner and his Jordanian lawyer, the BBC understands. |
| The 53-year-old had been held at Belmarsh prison in south-east London, from where a convoy of three police vehicles left at midnight. | The 53-year-old had been held at Belmarsh prison in south-east London, from where a convoy of three police vehicles left at midnight. |
| A family friend who went with relatives including Abu Qatada's father and brothers to Jordan's Marka military airport told BBC Middle East correspondent Yolande Knell that he was taken straight to the state security court. | A family friend who went with relatives including Abu Qatada's father and brothers to Jordan's Marka military airport told BBC Middle East correspondent Yolande Knell that he was taken straight to the state security court. |
| He was driven in a green SUV, escorted by a 12-car convoy, to the sealed off court building in Amman, where his father Mahmoud told the AP news agency: "I have nothing to say, except my son is innocent and I hope the court will set him free." | |
| Abu Qatada faces a retrial for plotting bomb attacks against American and Israeli tourists during Jordan's millennium celebrations. | |
| A Jordanian government spokesman confirmed the legal process against him had started and reiterated assurances that the trial would meet international standards. | A Jordanian government spokesman confirmed the legal process against him had started and reiterated assurances that the trial would meet international standards. |
| The cleric - who did not get to see his family - is expected to be taken to either Juwaida or Muwaqqar prison, our correspondent said. | The cleric - who did not get to see his family - is expected to be taken to either Juwaida or Muwaqqar prison, our correspondent said. |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani said Home Office officials were "incredibly relieved" after "one of the most tense weeks in the department's recent history". | BBC home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani said Home Office officials were "incredibly relieved" after "one of the most tense weeks in the department's recent history". |
| "They were so concerned about the possibility that the cleric could change his mind at the last minute that they were leaving nothing to chance." | "They were so concerned about the possibility that the cleric could change his mind at the last minute that they were leaving nothing to chance." |
| Speaking on BBC Breakfast later, Mrs May said she had been provided with updates on the deportation throughout the night. | Speaking on BBC Breakfast later, Mrs May said she had been provided with updates on the deportation throughout the night. |
| She said she had been "as frustrated as the public" about the estimated £1.7m cost and length of time it had taken to remove Abu Qatada, but that people would welcome the end result. | She said she had been "as frustrated as the public" about the estimated £1.7m cost and length of time it had taken to remove Abu Qatada, but that people would welcome the end result. |
| She said she did not have any concerns about the treatment Abu Qatada would face when he arrived in Jordan. | She said she did not have any concerns about the treatment Abu Qatada would face when he arrived in Jordan. |
| She said: "The treaty we've signed ensures that there are proper processes of exchange of evidence and will insure the treatment of Abu Qatada and others deported to Jordan." | She said: "The treaty we've signed ensures that there are proper processes of exchange of evidence and will insure the treatment of Abu Qatada and others deported to Jordan." |
| Mrs May said she hoped to reduce the number of appeals open to people fighting to stay in the country and to look at Britain's relationship with the European Court of Human Rights. | Mrs May said she hoped to reduce the number of appeals open to people fighting to stay in the country and to look at Britain's relationship with the European Court of Human Rights. |
| She said "nothing is off the table" when it comes to negotiating with Europe. | She said "nothing is off the table" when it comes to negotiating with Europe. |
| Asked on Sky News whether Abu Qatada's wife and children would have the right to stay in the UK, Mrs May said they would have to decide what they want their future to be before the government gets involved. | Asked on Sky News whether Abu Qatada's wife and children would have the right to stay in the UK, Mrs May said they would have to decide what they want their future to be before the government gets involved. |
| Mr Cameron criticised a "caravan of lawyers" over the case, adding that it had "made my blood boil that this man who has no right to be in our country, who is a threat to our country and that it took so long and it was so difficult to deport him, but we've done it, he is back in Jordan that is excellent news." | Mr Cameron criticised a "caravan of lawyers" over the case, adding that it had "made my blood boil that this man who has no right to be in our country, who is a threat to our country and that it took so long and it was so difficult to deport him, but we've done it, he is back in Jordan that is excellent news." |
| Abu Qatada, whose real name is Omar Othman, was granted asylum in the UK in 1994 but the Security Service came to view him as a threat as his views hardened. | Abu Qatada, whose real name is Omar Othman, was granted asylum in the UK in 1994 but the Security Service came to view him as a threat as his views hardened. |
| Richard Reid, the would-be mid-Atlantic shoe bomber, and Zacarias Moussaoui, both jailed for involvement in terrorism, are said to have sought religious advice from him. | Richard Reid, the would-be mid-Atlantic shoe bomber, and Zacarias Moussaoui, both jailed for involvement in terrorism, are said to have sought religious advice from him. |
| The cleric's sermons were also found in a flat in the German city of Hamburg used by some of those involved in 9/11. | The cleric's sermons were also found in a flat in the German city of Hamburg used by some of those involved in 9/11. |
| He vowed to fight the UK's 2005 decision to deport him to Jordan to face retrial over bomb plot allegations - setting in motion an eight-year legal battle. | He vowed to fight the UK's 2005 decision to deport him to Jordan to face retrial over bomb plot allegations - setting in motion an eight-year legal battle. |
| The dispute continued until May this year, when the cleric accepted that his right to a fair trial there was protected by the new treaty between Jordan and the UK. | The dispute continued until May this year, when the cleric accepted that his right to a fair trial there was protected by the new treaty between Jordan and the UK. |
| Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper welcomed the deportation and backed Mrs May's call for a more streamlined process in future. | Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper welcomed the deportation and backed Mrs May's call for a more streamlined process in future. |
| She said: "The home secretary has been right to get further guarantees from Jordan and we should welcome the series of agreements from the Jordanian government too. | She said: "The home secretary has been right to get further guarantees from Jordan and we should welcome the series of agreements from the Jordanian government too. |
| "We must ensure that delays like this do not last for so long in future and that the system is reformed to make it faster." | "We must ensure that delays like this do not last for so long in future and that the system is reformed to make it faster." |
| Keith Vaz, chairman of Parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee, questioned why the government had not started work on a treaty with Jordan at an earlier stage in the process. | Keith Vaz, chairman of Parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee, questioned why the government had not started work on a treaty with Jordan at an earlier stage in the process. |
| "The home secretary's legal advisers will have questions to answer as to why they didn't conceive of this scheme earlier which would have prevented a cost to the taxpayer of £1.7m." | "The home secretary's legal advisers will have questions to answer as to why they didn't conceive of this scheme earlier which would have prevented a cost to the taxpayer of £1.7m." |
| Profile: Abu Qatada | Profile: Abu Qatada |
| The security problem Jordan doesn’t need? | The security problem Jordan doesn’t need? |
| Abu Qatada case has cost UK £1.7m | Abu Qatada case has cost UK £1.7m |