HATE preacher Abu Qatada will be free on bail in days despite "posing a national security risk", a judge ruled yesterday.
The extremist Islamic cleric, 51 — wanted in Jordan over terror offences — must be let out of jail even though the Home Office calls him "a dangerous man".
But that will not stop him claiming tens of thousands of pounds from the state for himself, his wife and five children.
That is on top of about £1.5million the al-Qaeda fanatic has already collected in handouts, legal bills and prison costs from the country he hates.
Mr Justice Mitting said the time will come "quite soon" when keeping Qatada locked up could not be justified. And he ruled at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in London that strict bail conditions could be RELAXED within three months, even though Qatada could abscond.
Qatada — real name Omar Othman — has been in Long Lartin prison, Worcs, since 2008 awaiting deportation to his native Jordan on terrorism charges. He featured in videos found in the flat of a 9/11 bomber.
But the European Court of Human Rights said he cannot be sent back because he may be tortured.
Qatada once lived with his family in a £800,000 council house in West London as legal battles raged.
The Home Office said last night: "Qatada should remain in detention.
"This is a dangerous man who we believe poses a real threat to our security."
Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said people would be "astonished" at the decision to free Qatada.
Kim Beer, 53, whose son Phil, 22, died in the 7/7 attacks, said: "Give him a one-way ticket back to Jordan."
M'lud at it again..
JUDGE John Mitting has a track record of allowing terror suspects to stay in the UK.
He has headed the Special Immigration Appeals Commission — one of the country's most controversial and secretive courts — since 2007.
In 2010 Mr Justice Mitting's panel stopped the Government taking away hate preacher Abu Hamza's UK passport.
He later let an al-Qaeda bomb plot suspect stay, even though he posed a "serious threat".
And he sparked fury by freeing four terror suspects on bail, despite fears they would flee.
Fanatics 'plotted string of attacks'
A GROUP of UK-based Islamic extremists ruled out suicide attacks so they could plan a "long-term" campaign of terror, a court heard yesterday.
Prosecutor Andrew Edis QC said: "These defendants decided they would be responsible for very serious acts of terrorism. What was observed was planning for the immediate future, not involving suicide attacks, so there would be a long-term future."
The sentencing hearing at London's Woolwich Crown Court heard that Mohammed Chowdhury, 21, from London, was the "lynchpin" in bringing the group together.
The gang, from London, Cardiff and Stoke-on-Trent, last week pleaded guilty to a variety of terror offences. Hearing was adjourned.
