European Court on Human Rights Ruling Prevents Britain from Deporting Prominent Terrorist Suspect

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Thursday, March 1, 2012
Author: 
Bruce Zagaris
Volume: 
28
Issue: 
3
Abstract: 

On January 17, 2012, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Britain cannot deport Abu Qatada, whose real name is Omar Mahmoud Mohammed Othman, a radical Islamic preacher considered one of Al Qaeda’s main inspiratory leaders in Europe, to his native Jordan because of the likelihood that torture would prevent him for obtaining a fair trial.1


                1              Case of Othman (Abu Qatada) v. The United Kindgom, European Court of Human Rights (Application no. 8139/09), Jan. 17, 2012.  Ravi Somaiya and John F. Burns, European Court Rules Britain Cannot Deport Terrorism Suspect, N.Y. Times, Jan. 18, 2012, at A4, col. 4.