Abu Qatada, radical Muslim cleric, freed from U.K. prison after court denies extradition to Jordan on terror charges

Muslim Cleric Abu Qatada is driven out of the prison gates after he was released from HMP Long Lartin near Evesham on November 13, 2012 in Worcestershire, England. / Getty

LONDON British authorities say radical Islamist cleric Abu Qatada has been freed from prison after a court ruled he cannot be deported from Britain to Jordan to face terrorism charges.

Abu Qatada, a Palestinian-born Jordanian cleric, was convicted in Jordan over terror plots in 1999 and 2000, and he will face a retrial if deported there from Britain.

• Al Qaeda-linked U.K. cleric Abu Qatada granted bail, avoids deportation
• U.K. judge denies bail to radical preacher Abu Qatada
• Radical Islamist cleric Abu Qatada loses deportation appeal

Authorities confirmed Tuesday that he had been released from Long Lartin prison, in central England.

The Special Immigration Appeals Commission, which handles major terrorism and deportation cases, had said Monday that it was not convinced Jordan could guarantee Abu Qatada a fair trial. It said it believed evidence gleaned through torture could be used against the cleric.

Britain's government, which plans to appeal, has been attempting to expel Abu Qatada since 2001.

[corky1313]

Quincy, Quincy, Quincy...you poor pitiful boy. Just another example of the Obamaication of this country. Turn a blind eye to these murderous, animals know as Muslims. This scum would cut your mothers throat and not bat an eye. Just look at him! Dirty, smelly, disgusting piece of Muslim ****.
Wake the **** up! People like you and that poor excuse for a president, who denies there's terrorists like this, would get us all killed if you had your way.
Thankfully, we'll control our destiny with therse killers, not you.

See you on the next hostage video Quince just before they slice your head off, you ******* loser

[daddycrc-2009]

If they wont send the sickop POS to jordon I hope he does something to the AH s that voted to let him go, just those ppl. Then maybe the next group will just HANG his worthless POS azz

[quincytodd]

It's about time that this man got a break as he has been persecuted to the hilt! I now expect a lot of right-wing idiots here to blog their narrow minded rants against his current release from jail and his not being deported to Jordan where he'll only be tortured and then killed. The Jordanian authorities know no justice, only power and cruelty!