Qatada Olympic blow

Mr Justice Mitting has refused bail to terror suspect Abu Qatada, partly due to the extra pressures faced by the security services in the run-up to the Olympics.

Mitting J said that, by the time the Special Immigration Appeal Commission (SIAC) hears Qatada’s case: “He will have been deprived of his liberty, for the most part detained, without charge for some seven years and three months.”

However, there was a “real possibility” the SIAC hearing, due to take place in October, would put an end to the litigation that has prevented Qatada’s deportation to Jordan. Therefore, the risk of his absconding has increased. Parties, including some said to come from Al Qaeda, have made threats which suggest they may help him to abscond, Mitting J said.

The police and security services have limits on their resources and “a high level of demand” would be placed on those resources by the preparation for the Olympics.

“If the appellant were to abscond, then either the resources which should be devoted to those ends would have to be diverted to finding him or finding him would be afforded a lower priority than should be the case,” he said.

“In those circumstances, I am satisfied that managing the risk posed by the appellant outside a category A prison during that exceptional time would be exceptionally problematic.”