Mr Justice Mitting’s decision today refusing the deportation to Jordan of Omar Othman, popularly known as Abu Qatada, is a significant victory for the British legal system over government pressure. His barrister, Edward Fitzgerald QC at once asked for bail, “there is no justification for continuing to deprive Mr Othman of his liberty. Enough is enough, it has gone on for many years now.”

While secret evidence and Special Advocate procedures vary, they tend to have the same basic underlying features.

Similarly to Detainee W, Mouloud Sihali had been acquitted in the ‘Ricin’ case.

Last week, the Court of Appeal approved the deportation of eight men to Algeria and Jordan. Andy Worthington examines the ruling, with its double standards on the use of secret evidence in control order cases and in deportation cases.

Eight men deemed to be a threat to national security can be deported, the Court of Appeal has ruled.