Government still working with Jordan on release of Abu Qatada

By Mark Fordham

The attorney general Dominic Grieve has confirmed that the government is still liaising with Jordan in order to try and reach an agreement over the deportation of radical cleric Abu Qatada.

Yesterday (February 6th) Mr Justice Mitting ruled that Abu Qatada, who has been held for six-and-a-half years, should be released on bail within the next few days.

This comes just weeks after the European Court of Human Rights blocked his deportation to Jordan, where he is currently facing terror charges.

Mr Grieve told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that yesterday's court proceedings had been influenced by the UK's "memorandum of understanding" with Jordan that the cleric would not be at risk of torture.

"The government is obviously very concerned about this case [and] wishes to see Abu Qatada deported to Jordan and, when he's in Jordan, tried fairly if the Jordanian authorities wish to put him on trial," Mr Grieve continued.