Free man: Abu Qatada arriving at home last week after his release, in which he was told he wouldn't face deportation to Jordan
Abu Qatada has told his family that he plans to sue the British government for £10million for ‘unlawful detention’.
The hate preacher has said he wants compensation for his ‘extended mistreatment’ after a judge released him from jail last week and blocked his deportation to Jordan to face terror charges.
Qatada was awarded a far smaller payout from the European Court of Human Rights three years ago after judges ruled he had been unfairly detained in Belmarsh high security jail without trial.
But the cleric’s family said that his hopes of a much larger compensation win have been boosted after the special immigration court ruled last Monday that there was a real risk that evidence obtained through torture might be used against him if he was sent home to Jordan to face trial.
The cleric, once described by a judge as Osama Bin Laden’s ambassador in Europe, has been bailed to his family home in London after spending much of the past seven years behind bars.
Qatada lives in North London with his wife and five children on state handouts said to total £1,000 a month.
His brother, Ibrahim Othman, said: ‘He said he hopes to get £10million for being wrongly put in jail
Stand off after mob's threats to Abu Qatada.
He says he will make the claim when the court processes are finished for his extended mistreatment.
‘He has done nothing against the British people but the British authorities put him jail for many years.
‘He has not had any trial in Britain. It is only right that he should have the money.
He hasn’t been able to work for a long time because he has been in jail, so how could he survive without compensation when it is all over?’
Mr Othman said that if Qatada was successful he hoped to spend the money on a new house in Jordan, if he is allowed to return without facing trial, and also invest it into an Islamic charity to help poor people in the country. The failure to deport Qatada has already cost taxpayers more than £3million, including £500,000 on surveillance.
Demands: Abu Qatada has asked to be moved to a bigger house at taxpayers expense, claiming he needs more space for his wife and children
Under the terms of his bail, he is allowed out between 8am and 4pm, during which time he will be monitored by the police and MI5. He also cannot lead prayers, give lectures, preach or provide religious instruction other than to his wife and children at home.
Mr Othman said Qatada called his mother in Amman, the capital of Jordan, on Monday evening, hours after his court victory.
He said: ‘My brother said he was very happy with his win. He still wants to return to Jordan, but only as a free man. He will bring the case for compensation when he is completely cleared by the courts, which he is very confident will happen.’
Qatada was awarded £2,500 by the European Court of Human Rights in 2009 after he brought a case with ten other terror suspects and fanatics who were held without trial under terrorism laws introduced in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
The court said the terms of the detention violated three provisions of the Human Rights Convention.
But the European judges stressed that the compensation was ‘substantially lower’ than in previous cases because the detention scheme was devised ‘in the face of a public emergency’ that had been ‘threatening the life of the nation’.
Earlier this week neighbours of the hate preacher were furious to learn that Qatada is demanding to be moved to a bigger house funded by the taxpayer.
The 52-year-old is believed to have made the request on the grounds he needs more space for his wife and children.
But local residents said they were disgusted by Qatada’s claims. One mother of two, who did not want to be named, said: ‘Do you have to be a terrorist now to get a bigger house? He already has five bedrooms.’
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