Qatada’s landlord keeps right not to be named

Journalists must not name or harass a landlord who owns the property where freed radical cleric Abu Qatada is staying, a High Court judge said yesterday.

Mr Justice Tugendhat heard that the landlord was the subject of “intense and very intrusive media scrutiny” and wanted to be left alone.

The landlord had not realised that it was Qatada who was moving into the property and found himself at the centre of media attention through no fault of his own, a lawyer told the judge.

Qatada was freed on bail on 13 February after being held for six-and-a-half years while fighting deportation.

High Court judge Mrs Justice Dobbs made an order preventing publication of the landlord’s name on 15 February.

At a High Court hearing in London yesterday, Mr Justice Tugendhat ruled that the order should continue. He said he intended to issue an amended order – and give reasons for banning publication of the landlord’s name – in the near future.