Abu Qatada al-Masri Issuing Edicts from Prison

It has been reported that the British authorities suspect that terrorist leader Abu Qatada al-Masiri may be getting messages to his followers from his high-security jail cell.

Described as 'Osama bin Laden's spiritual leader in Europe', Qatada has been in prison since just after the 7/7 London bombings in 2005.

He was briefly released after the Human Rights Act scuppered plans to deport him to Jordan, but was re-arrested after breaking his bail conditions. His second appeal was turned down by the Law Lords, and he is now appealing to the European Court of Human Rights to allow him to stay in this country.

Recently, several letters said to be written by him have been published on various extremist websites, in both Arabic and English, despite the fact he is held in isolation in secure Long Lartin Prison.

The anti-terrorism Qulliam Foundation claims the leaks may be occurring either through his visitors or his lawyers, but say the breach of security is serious as he is inciting violence against the British government and authorities:

In the statements, the writer using the name Qatada congratulates al-Qaeda fighters, claims that the British government opposes Islam and says Muslims should never join the police or army in a non-Muslim country.

The most recent posting appeared on a jihadist forum last month and details life inside a British maximum security prison.

There is no direct proof that the statements were issued by Abu Qatada - but Quilliam says evidence links the posts to Islamist associates of Abu Qatada. The content of the messages is also consistent with Abu Qatada's previous statements.

The Quilliam Foundation are now urging an investigation into the leaks. However, the Justice Minister said:

The Justice Minister said the Quilliam Foundation's comments were "very very surprising".
He added: "Their so-called research doesn't actually have any evidence, there's no basis for these comments.

"The fact is this is alarmist, there's no evidence that's been given to us, the research seems pretty lame at best, and I've got to say this is good for the Quilliam Foundation because they're all about publicity, they've generated a lot of that.

"But it is alarmist, it is unhelpful, it is sensationalist."

Who would this Justice Minister be, exactly?

That's right, it's Shahid Malik, the man who a few months ago called for a Muslim dominated Parliament in the UK.

What he doesn't mention of course is that he doesn't care for the Qulliam Foundation, because it's run by Muslims who are against extremism - so I fully understand why he would resent it getting any publicity.

Most of the UK's prominent Muslims, including Malik, Lord Ahmed and Sadiq Khan MP prefer the Muslim Council of Britain, with its shady links and standard interpretation of Islam, and as we know, they don't care much for those who break ranks.

Nothing quite like an agenda, is there?