Abu Qatada

Abu Qatada, a radical Muslim cleric living in London since the 1990s, had made speeches justifying the use of violence to promote the Islamist cause and had served time in British jails. The security services regarded him as a threat and ministers wanted to deport him to his country of origin, Jordan, where he was wanted for trial. However, his legal advisers were able to fight deportation for eight years on the grounds that he might be tried using evidence

obtained under torture, a breach of the Human Rights Act. Only in 2013, after the UK had signed a treaty with Jordan pledging that such evidence would not be used, was Abu Qatada flown back to face trial. He was cleared of involvement in terrorist bomb plots in Jordan. Nevertheless the British authorities continued to view him as a dangerous influence.