Brussels, 17/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 17 January, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) blocked the United Kingdom's extradition of the Jordanian Islamic extremist, Abu Qatada whose real name is Omar Othman, long-time considered as the right-hand man of Osama Bin Laden. The ECHR considers that this extradition would violate the latter's right to a free trial because evidence obtained under torture could be used against him.
In a ruling, the Court explained that “extradition of the plaintiff would be in violation of Article 6 of the Convention (European Human Rights) given the real risk that proof obtained from other people and torture could be used in his new trial in Jordan”.
According to thee ECHR, the Jordan State Security Court “proved that it was incapable of appropriately conducting enquiries into allegations of torture and excluding the use of proof obtained under torture.” Abu Qatada has lived in the United Kingdom since 1993 and has refugee status. A retrial was due to take place in two cases in which he had previously been found guilty in absentia, to 15 years in prison for acts of terrorism. A decision to expel him was made in 2005 but in December 2010 he appealed against the decision on the grounds that in Jordan he would be subject to a real risk of torture, in flagrant denial of justice. The ECHR had already blocked his expulsion in February 2009 and called on the British government to introduce a stay of proceedings until the case had been completely assessed. (SP/transl.fl)