Govt mistake provides details of freed terror suspect
Thursday, 03 Jul 2008 19:39
Terror suspect with "direct links" to Osama Bin Laden freed on bail
A mistake by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) has handed journalists personal details of a terror suspect which were previously restricted.
The terror suspect, known only as 'U', was freed on bail earlier today.
The Algerian man is claimed to have "direct links" to Osama Bin Laden and was freed after the court of appeal overturned an SIAC ruling that he could be deported to Algeria.
The government claims U is a leading organiser of a major terror group and that his followers plotted to bomb a market in Strasbourg in 2000.
Reporting restrictions had been extremely strict regarding U's case, to the extent that none of his personal details, including a photograph, or his bail conditions are being released.
However, an email detailing his bail conditions seen by
inthenews.co.uk was distributed this afternoon containing the man's name and his address.
U had been in custody since February 2001 after he was caught trying to board a flight from Heathrow to Saudi Arabia with a false passport.
Last year SIAC claimed there were "credible grounds" for believing the government's allegations that U has links with the al-Qaida chief and that he held a senior position at a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan.