Abu Qatada to stay in jail after judge refuses bail

Qatada was locked up in Belmarsh prison in London in March after allegedly breaching a bail condition which prevents him from turning mobile phones on in his house.

The terror suspect, who recently pledged to voluntarily leave the UK after years fighting deportation, must remain in custody after immigration judge Mr Justice Irwin refused to grant him bail at a hearing of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) in London.

Handing down his ruling, Mr Justice Irwin said: “We regard these breaches as serious. It was the appellant’s obligation to understand the conditions of bail and ensure they were adhered to.

“A serious matter relating to the breaches of bail was revealed during the hearing.

“In his witness statement, the appellant assured the commission that nothing would be found on any of these items other than schoolwork or other innocent material. This assurance has proved untrue. Significant jihadist material has been found on a USB stick seized.”

Earlier this month, it emerged the controversial preacher is willing to return to the Middle East when a treaty between the UK and Jordan is ratified by both countries.

The agreement, unveiled by Home Secretary Theresa May last month, aims to allay fears that evidence extracted through torture will be used against the terror suspect at a retrial.

Qatada’s lawyer, Daniel Friedman, QC, told the hearing that the treaty also “raises his prospects of acquittal in relation to what we say are tainted charges”.

Mr Friedman added his client “has been deprived of his liberty more than any other non- convicted person in British  history”.