Britain finds MI5, al_Qaida double agent

LONDON, March 25 (UPI) -- A Muslim cleric in England who was an MI5 intelligence informant has been found to have links with al-Qaida, the Times of London said Thursday.

The disclosure is an embarrassment for the country, since Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the United States and Jordan all asked to question Abu Qatada about his links to al-Qaida but were refused.

The Times of London said Thursday Abu Qatada boasted to MI5 that he could prevent terrorist attacks and offered to expose dangerous extremists, while all along he was setting up a haven for his terror organization in Britain.

Among the young militants who came to visit him in London was a suspect in this month's Madrid train bombings, the newspaper said.

MI5 agents reportedly held three meetings with the cleric, who bragged of his influence among young Islamic militants and insisted they were no risk to Britain's national security.

When Britian passed its anti-terror law in 2001, Qatada went into hiding, but was found in London. He is now in a high-security prison, and appealing his detention.