Laugh ... Abu Qatada after his release from prison Jon Bond Abu Qatada will cost UK taxpayers £6m this year Scandal of the bills we're picking up for hate cleric we can't kick out Exclusive By RICHARD MORIARTY & LUKE HEIGHTON Published: 27th January 2013
207 TAXPAYERS are set to cough up £6MILLION this year to pay the bills of hate cleric Abu Qatada. The Islamic fanatic racked up legal costs of £5,000 A DAY last month after being allowed to stay in Britain.
It will cost an astonishing £5MILLION this year to foot the security bill for the 52-year-old who has been closely monitored since his release from jail last November.
The £100,000-a-week operation includes a team of SIXTY officers from Scotland Yard, MI5 and a private security firm. Keeping him in jail for years cost the taxpayer £850,000 while the security bill since his release has topped £1million.
Housing and benefits costs have so far amounted to £250,000.
Figures from the Legal Services Commission reveal it has spent a total of £581,537 on legal aid for Qatada. Over a period of just 13 days last month the figure rocketed by £66,000 from £515,000 — £5,000 a day.
Experts expect that as the battle over Qatada’s deportation to Jordan hots up, his legal aid costs could exceed £400,000 over the next year.
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And the Government’s legal bill could hit £600,000 as it brings in top lawyers to try to get him booted out.
Once described by a judge as “Osama Bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe,” Qatada is fighting deportation to his homeland on terror charges. Home Secretary Theresa May had hoped to put him on a plane home — but she lost a legal battle last November after he appealed, claiming prosecutors would use evidence gained through torture.
In December The Sun revealed how married dad-of-five Qatada had moved into a £400,000 taxpayer-funded home in London on his release from jail — with the public paying his £1,900-a-month rent.
He has been repeatedly jailed since 2002 on terror charges.
A TaxPayers’ Alliance spokesman said of the £6million bill: “This sum is incredible given the number of taxpayers who would have to contribute to support one man who shouldn’t even be in the country anyway.” He added: “It’s time this vile hate preacher faced justice.”
The huge legal costs were revealed following a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
An LSC spokesman said last night: “We have done everything to ensure Abu Qatada contributes to his legal costs and we have secured frozen assets of £217,286.57.”
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