Abu Qatada could be freed as judges decide whether to grant bail

Qatada, described by a judge as Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe, will have his application for bail heard by a senior immigration judge in London.

The radical cleric is being held in a high-security prison while he fights deportation to Jordan over terror charges.

The hearing will be held before Mr Justice Mitting at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) this afternoon.

It could mean the man once dubbed “Osama bin Laden’s right hand man in Europe” back on the streets within weeks.

There are fears that, if freed, he could not be prevented from radicalising his son and family.

There are already concerns that the firebrand’s teenage son, Qatada Othman, could be following in his father’s footsteps after it emerged he has mixed with extremists.

But despite strict bail conditions and a 22-hour curfew when he was last released, earlier this year, no restrictions were placed on him “preaching or providing religious instruction” to his wife and children.

He was banned from preaching to anyone else.

In February, an MP warned Qatada Othman, 18 could complete an “apprenticeship in terror” if his father is at large.

Mr Othman shared a platform with radicals to accuse the West of "waging war" on Muslims and attacked Britain for locking up his father without charge.

Last summer he spoke in Arabic at an event outside Belmarsh high security prison in London and appeared to support "places of Jihad" around the world. Other speakers included Omar Brooks, who was jailed in 2008 for inciting terrorism abroad. Othman could not be contacted for a comment.

At the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) today, Qatada’s lawyers will argue he should be granted bail because of delays in his deportation.

The Islamist cleric has spent much of the past decade either in jail or under house arrest without being charged with any crime, having been rounded up in the wake of 9/11.

In February, Mr Justice Mitting released him after concluding there was no imminent prospect of his removal.

He was arrested and detained again last month after Theresa May, the Home Secretary, gained assurances from Jordan that he would face a fair trial.

The assurances were obtained in an attempt to get around a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that he cannot be deported because he risks standing trial on evidence obtained by torture.

The renewal of deportation proceedings descended in to farce, however, when a Home Office blunder over deadlines dates allowed his lawyers to lodge a last minute appeal to Strasbourg.

At the time, Mr Justice Mitting refused a bail application but warned he might consider releasing him if there are further delays.

The Strasbourg appeal bid was later turned down but Qatada is still able to challenge the new assurances from Jordan in the British courts.

The ten-year saga in deporting Qatada has cost the taxpayer around £3 million in legal aid and fees, although more than £217,000 has been recovered from his assets as a contribution to the bill.

The Home Office has said it believes Qatada poses a “real risk to national security” and will “vigorously resist” any attempts for him to be bailed.