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Islamist cleric to be released from prison

LONDON, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- The special immigration appeals commission in London has ruled radical Islamist cleric Abu Qatada should be released from prison.

Qatada, labelled as Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe by a Spanish judge, has been jailed in the United Kingdom for 6 1/2 years, The Guardian reported Monday.

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The special immigration appeals commission must settle on Qatada's bail conditions before ordering his release. The Home Office is expected to push for the most stringent terms possible, including a 16-hour daily curfew.

Lawyers for the cleric said a curfew of more than 12 hours would amount to "deprivation of liberty."

Qatada has spent more time in custody than any other detainee in modern immigration history, lawyer Ed Fitzgerald said, arguing that should be taken into consideration for his bail agreement.

"The period falls into a category of time that is so grave -- and indeed unprecedented in the modern era -- as to bear no acceptable continuing justification," Fitzgerald said.

Qatada was first detained in 2002 in Britain as an international terrorism suspect. He was held for 2 1/2 years under the Belmarsh powers of indefinite detention without trial.

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Then in 2005, he was again taken into custody for immigration detention pending deportation. He has been held since, except for a six-month period in 2008 when he was out on bail conditions that included a 22-hour curfew.

Tim Eicke, a lawyer for the state, argued there was "no indication here from the appellant that he has changed his views or his attitude to the [United Kingdom] and the threat he poses to it."

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