Britain seeks to deport Muslim cleric

• Tweet

LONDON, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- The British government said it has obtained the needed assurances to extradite Palestinian-born cleric Abu Qatada to Jordan where he is wanted for terrorism.

"Qatada is a dangerous man and we intend to remove him as quickly as possible," a spokesperson for the Home Office said. "This is now a matter for the courts."

A Special Immigration Appeals Commission will decide whether Jordan has provided sufficient assurances it won't use evidence obtained by torturing one of Qatada's co-defendants at his retrial, The Guardian reported Wednesday.

A hearing in the case is expected to last seven days.

Qatada was convicted at a trial he did not attend of being involved in two terrorist conspiracies to carry out bomb attacks in Jordan in 1999 and 2000.

Earlier this year, the European Court of Human Rights ruled there was a high probability evidence obtained by torture would be used at any re-trial.

The Home Office said videotapes of Qatada's sermons influenced Muhammad Atta, the ringleader of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.