"Jordanian hate preacher Abu Qatada brands deportation plans 'extremist'"

From The Independent:

The Jordanian-born Islamist who has spent several years under a control order after calling for the UK secular state to be violently overthrown yesterday accused the Government of “extremist” behaviour after he was ordered to leave the country by the Home Office.

Abu Qatada, aged about 50, whose British-born daughter is due to give birth on Monday, said he was told a week ago he had to leave the country under immigration rules which allow for the deportation of foreign enemies considered a threat to national security, or whose presence is not considered “conducive to the public good”.

He has lived in the UK for 20 years. He told The Independent on Sunday that he has lodged an appeal, arguing that his right to family life under the Human Rights Act will be breached. “It’s very serious,” he said. “Our whole lives are entangled here. We work together, we produce Jihadist leaflets and pamphlets together. The judge in her summing up said that I had contributed to life in this country. We weren’t expecting this.

“It seems an extremist and fundamentalist thing to do. My understanding was that the Government was for the people and now it seems we have to justify ourselves to the Government rather than the other way round. It’s very costly and stressful.

“My daughter is very stressed and due to give birth. It feels like bullying tactics.”