Court rules Britain cannot deport controversial cleric

THE European Court of Human Rights yesterday blocked Britain from extraditing an alleged top aide of Osama bin Laden to Jordan, saying evidence against him may have been obtained through torture.

Abu Qatada, 51, a radical British-based Muslim cleric, who has fought a six-year battle to remain in the country, faced a “flagrant denial of justice” if he was returned to Jordan, the court said in its ruling.

The Strasbourg-based court said there was a “real risk of the admission of evidence at the applicant’s retrial obtained by torture of third persons”.