Charge Qatada or release him

12.00.00am GMT Wed 9th Apr 2008

Commenting on today's dismissal of a deportation order for Islamic preacher Abu Qatada by the Court of Appeal, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"The Court of Appeal is rightly concerned about the use of evidence gained under torture in Jordan, which would not be admissible in a British court.

"This is one of the principal differences between a free society like ours and a tyranny and the Government should not be seeking to circumvent key legal safeguards. It should now charge Qatada in the UK courts, or release him.

"The security services have made enough mistakes in similar cases in the past, such as that of the Algerian pilot Lotfi Raissi, that we must respect the due process of law."