Abu Qatada must stay in British jail

LONDON, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Extremist Muslim cleric Abu Qatada will remain in a British jail indefinitely after allegedly breaking the terms of his earlier bail, officials said.

Abu Qatada, sometimes described as Osama bin Laden's "right-hand man in Europe," was incarcerated last month after being released in June from a high-security prison. On Tuesday, Britain's Special Immigration Appeals Commission ruled the cleric was a flight risk and so he will remain in Belmarsh prison, The Times of London reported.

The SIAC made its ruling after British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith indicated that security officials had assessed that the risk of Abu Qatada leaving the country had increased since his June release from the Long Lartin maximum security jail in Worcestershire, England, the newspaper said.

Justice John Mitting said in court Tuesday, "The commission revokes bail and directs that Mohammad Ofman (Abu Qatada's real name) be detained under immigration powers."