European court 'tipped off Abu Qatada over deadline to help him make last-ditch appeal to stay'.....No Wonder he was Smiling during his arrest

European human rights judges have been accused of ‘alerting’ radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada to the fact he still had time to lodge a last-ditch appeal against deportation.

Furious Home Office sources last night claimed that it was the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) itself that privately told Jordanian-born Qatada that there was still the possibility of an appeal

But they say there was no similar attempt by the Strasbourg-based court to warn Home Secretary Theresa May of the impending deadline.

Senior sources in Mrs May’s department told The Mail on Sunday that the ECHR had reminded Qatada last Monday that he still had the option to appeal.

One said: ‘They took it upon themselves to go to Qatada’s legal team and say, “You haven’t appealed yet. Are you likely to appeal?” ’

Last night, the ECHR, headed by British judge Sir Nicolas Bratza, declined to comment on the claim. Read More