Al-Qaida ‘ambassador’ faces deportation from Britain

TEN terror suspects, including a radical preacher described as “al-Qaida’s ambassador to Europe”, were detained yesterday in a series of early morning raids across Britain.

In an unprecedented move, ministers finalised agreements which could allow the 10 to be deported to countries with poor human rights records.

Meanwhile, Islamic fundamentalist cleric Omar Bakri, who left Britain where he faces a criminal investigation in the wake of the London bombings, was arrested in Lebanon yesterday.

He had earlier said in a television interview that he was being targeted for his political views and would not return to Britain.

Bakri, who faces possible incitement charges in Britain for comments after the July 7 bombings, denied any links to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida terrorist network or to terrorism.

He said he did not support any attacks that lead to the killing of innocent people.

“This is something that no normal man can accept, particularly someone who is committed to Islam and the values of Islam,” he told Lebanon’s Future TV.

Future TV said Bakri was arrested this afternoon as he left its building after giving the interview.

A statement by the General Security Department said he was being interrogated about the circumstances of his entry to Lebanon.

Bakri, 45, who holds Syrian and Lebanese citizenship, lived in Britain for 20 years. He founded the now-disbanded radical Islamic group al-Muhajiroun, which came under scrutiny in Britain, particularly after some of its members praised the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US.

Bakri caught public attention recently when he said he would not inform the police if he knew Muslims were planning attacks such as the July 7 bombings in London that killed 56 people. He claimed Islam prohibited him from reporting Muslims to the British police.

Radical preacher Abu Qatada - described as “al-Qaida’s ambassador to Europe” and “a truly dangerous individual” - was among those seized in the dramatic raids in Britain.

The Jordanian now faces being sent back to his homeland, where he has been convicted, in his absence, of terrorism.

The Home Office has signed a ground-breaking deal with Jordan designed to guarantee deportees will not be killed or tortured on their return. However, human rights groups remain sceptical.

Civil rights group Liberty’s director Shami Chakrabarti said: “What separates us from the terrorists is that we do not torture people or send them to be tortured.

“It should take more than self-serving assurances to demonstrate that countries with a human rights record such as Jordan’s are safe.”

Chief executive of the Immigration Advisory Service, Keith Best, said the men could have lengthy rights of appeal to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC).

Once SIAC has made its decision, the detainees can lodge further appeals to the Court of Appeal, the House of Lords and ultimately to the European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg.