It’s an eerie feeling reading this… the pit of the belly says this just may be a reverse de ja vu. Here’s the story in a nutshell, as told by Duncan Gardham and Gordon Rayner from London’s The Telegraph:
Justice Mitting signs a bail release for Abu Qatada because he had no prior criminal record in the British courts, and could not be deported for his Jordan retrial for possible breach of law under the European Convention on Human Rights.
While he’s sitting at home, wearing his fashionable electronic tag, he’ll be collecting £12,000 per year in benefits for he and his family, plus cost the state annually tens of thousands of pounds for protection.
Oh yes, among the visitors he is NOT allowed to entertain personally, or via phone contact, are Osama bin Laden, his Deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri and Abu Hamza. [CORRECTION: Article doesn’t mention phone or email correspondence] RTFA to see the rest of the “strict” house rules…. plus more on their due process getting in the way of old fashioned common sense.
It appears the Brits… none of them… are bully over this quandary of their own making. Imagine that?
Despite Tony Blair’s promise in the aftermath of the suicide bombings on July 7, 2005 that “the rules of the game have changed”, no terror suspects have yet been forcibly removed from the country.
Last night Jacqui Smith said: “The Government’s priority is to protect public safety and national security and we will take all steps necessary to do so.
“I am extremely disappointed that the courts have granted Abu Qatada bail, albeit with very strict conditions. I am appealing to the House of Lords to reverse the decision that it is not safe to deport Qatada and the other Jordanian cases.”
Dominic Grieve, the Shadow Home Secretary, said Qatada’s presence in the UK was “offensive” and called for him to be prosecuted in this country, while Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said the government’s terrorism policies were “not working”.
There by the grace of our SCOTUS, go us….
Vietnam era Navy wife, indy/conservative, and an official California escapee now residing as a red speck in the sea of Oregon blue.
Maybe the House of Stupids will change the law after they get a few million Brits killed.
Nobody sees anybody a threat anymore.
maybe we all should hold hands and sing.