Jordanian prince mocks UK over attitudes toward torture

Qatada has been released from jail under strict bail conditions while the Government seeks assurances that evidence gained through torture would not be used in any trial against him if he were sent back.

But the 51-year-old cleric, once described by a judge as Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe, could be freed from his bail terms in just three months if Home Secretary Theresa May fails to show significant progress is being made in talks with Jordan.

Prince El Hassan, the uncle of Jordan’s King Abdullah, told the BBC: “I would like to say this is a country that has never taken the life of a political opponent of the regime.

“But if this man has committed crimes, which is presumably why he is being held in England, I don’t know what kind of court one has to offer to the Europeans. Does it want a juvenile court?”

When told that the authorities wanted a court in which evidence brought about by torture was not admissible, the prince replied: “That is rich coming from a country that believed in rendition agreements.”

He added: “This is essentially a British European conversation and I don’t think democracy means that we have to appeal to every single European parliamentarian.”

Qatada was released from Long Lartin high-security jail Worcestershire on Monday after applying for bail when human rights judges in Europe ruled he could not be deported without assurances from Jordan that evidence gained through torture would not be used against him.

As Security Minister James Brokenshire visited the Jordanian capital of Amman for talks this week, Qatada was let out under some of the toughest conditions imposed since the September 11 terror attacks.

He can leave his London home for just two hours a day, is banned from taking his youngest child to school, and cannot talk to anyone who has not been vetted by the security services first. He is also banned from mosques, leading prayers, giving lectures or preaching, other than to offer advice to his wife and children at his home.