This gives the lie to the idea that “moderate” Jordanian authorities, at least, think that Abu Qatada subscribes to a twisted, hijacked version of the Religion of Peace. “Abu Qatada to be allowed to provide ‘religious guidance’ to inmates,” by Ruth Sherlock for the Telegraph, July 10 (thanks to Pedro):
Abu Qatada will be allowed to preach his sermons and provide “religious guidance” to fellow inmates, officers in the Jordanian prison he is now being held have said.
The radical Islamist cleric, who is currently remanded in custody in Muwaqqer prison outside of Amman, will be allowed to pass his time giving courses in Islam and teaching his inmates to read the Koran.
“We see no reason why he should not,” a prison officer said. “If he is convicted and sentenced here then he can participate in the scheme”.
In 1999, Jordanian courts convicted the cleric in his absence of a conspiracy to carry out bombings in Jordan, which resulted in successful attacks on the American School and the Jerusalem Hotel in Amman in 1998.
Initially condemning him to death, his sentence was then reduced to life imprisonment with hard labour.
While he was never convicted of any offence in Britain, his sermons were seen as a font of motivation for global jihadists. He is also accused of involvement in a failed plan known as the “millennium conspiracy” in 2000, to attack Western and Israeli targets during millennium celebrations….