Radical preacher Qatada released

Radical preacher Abu Qatada Qatada released

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Ministers have pledged to appeal against a court ruling preventing the deportation of radical preacher Abu Qatada.

Qatada, once described as "Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe", left Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire at around 8.20pm on Tuesday.

The 47-year-old's release, on strict bail conditions, follows a court ruling in April banning ministers from extraditing him to Jordan.

He has been convicted in his absence in the Middle East of involvement with terror attacks in 1998, and of plotting to plant bombs at the Millennium.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "I am extremely disappointed that the courts have granted Abu Qatada bail, albeit with very strict conditions.

"I am appealing to the House of Lords to reverse the decision that it is not safe to deport Qatada and the other Jordanian cases."

She added: "The Government's priority is to protect public safety and national security and we will take all steps necessary to do so."

Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said: "This man should be deported if possible. His presence is offensive.

"Failing deportation, he should be prosecuted.

"This is why, for example, we have called on the Government to allow the use of intercept evidence - so they have every weapon possible to prosecute these individuals."

Qatada will be subject to a 22-hour curfew - believed to be the toughest yet - and forced to wear an electronic tag, according to papers released by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac).

The eight-page bail order specifies that Qatada will be barred from associating with certain people, including Osama bin Laden and hate preacher Abu Hamza.

The list of Qatada's banned associates also includes bin Laden's deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri and Rachid Ramda, who has been convicted in France of masterminding a series of bombings in 1995.

Unusually, the document bans Qatada from attending "any mosque".

Qatada is also prevented from leading prayers, giving lectures or "providing religious instruction" to anyone except his wife and children.