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Muslim Cleric Sues British Government
LONDON, Nov. 28 (News Agencies) - Muslim cleric Abu Qatada is taking on the British government in court Wednesday to fight a decision suspending his Income Support benefit, news agencies reported.
The case will be heard in the High Court in London, a spokeswoman for the tribunal told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Abu Qatada, 42, had social support payments withheld after 180,000 pounds ($255,000, 290,000 euros) in sterling, U.S. dollars, Spanish pesetas and German marks, were found by anti-terrorist police at his home in Acton, west London.
The Palestinian refugee, also known as Omar Mohammed Othman and Omar Abu Omar, appeared on a list of suspected terrorists issued by the United States after the September 11 attacks. He is suspected of allegedly being a pivotal figure in Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
A Spanish judge, who is questioning al-Qaeda suspects in Madrid, described him as the "spiritual head of the
mujahedin in Britain."
Spanish Justice Baltasar Garzon said that Qatada was the most important British contact of Abu Dahdah, one of eight suspected al-Qaeda members charged - so far without publicly disclosed evidence - with preparing and carrying out the deadly September 11 attacks in the United States.
Qatada has denied knowing Dahdah, whose real name is Imad Eddin Barakat Yarbas.
Qatada was arrested and detained after his house was raided in February. He was then released and not charged with any crime. However, the cash was not returned.
His lawyers argue that Qatada has never asserted he was the beneficial owner of the cash, but had explained the money was being held by him "on behalf of an informal prayer group to purchase a meeting place for that group," according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Qatada was granted refugee status in 1994 after claiming he was fleeing persecution for his religious beliefs and was given leave to enter Britain, along with his wife and children.
Courts in Jordan convicted him of funding a bombing campaign there and gave him a life sentence in his absence.
As a result of given leave to enter Britain, he was therefore eligible for income support, housing and child benefits on the same conditions as a British citizen.
Two bank accounts belonging to Othman, with total balances of 1,884 British pounds, were among those frozen by the Bank of England on October 12 under the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2001.
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