Justice hands down ruling (illustrative)
Justice hands down ruling (illustrative)Israel News Photo: (file)

The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Britain to pay legal fines to several men who were detained under anti-terror laws. Among those who will receive payment are a Palestinian Authority man known as “Abu Rideh,” and Jordanian preacher Abu-Qatada.

The European Court ruled that Britain had violated the detainees' human rights by failing to give them a chance to challenge the accusations against them in court within a reasonable period of time. The need to fight terrorism and maintain secrecy regarding counterterrorist operations must be balanced against the need for “procedural fairness,” judges said.

However, the court expressed sympathy with Britain's need to fight terrorism, and awarded the plaintiffs relatively low compensation payments of up to 3,400 pounds.

The court also ruled that Britain may not deport Abu-Qatada until he is allowed to appeal the deportation order. The current deportation order is his second; he was sentenced to deportation in 2007 as well, but won an appeal against the order in 2008. A second order was issued in late 2008 after he violated his bail conditions.

Abu-Qatada says he would be at risk of torture if he returned to Jordan, where he is wanted for alleged terrorism.

He is also wanted on charges of terrorism in the United States, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium and Algeria as well.

Abu-Qatada, Abu Rideh and seven others were detained due to suspected ties to international terrorist group Al-Qaeda. Abu-Qatada, who was born in the city of Bethlehem in Judea, is suspected of serving as Al-Qaeda's spiritual leader in Europe. He is accused of leadership in several splinter terrorist groups as well.