Advertisement

Abu Qatada Says He's Forgotten About Britain

Abu Qatada Says He's Forgotten About Britain

Radical preacher Abu Qatada has told Sky News he has "forgotten all about Britain", three days after being cleared of terror charges by a Jordanian court.

Instead, it seems his focus is now on the Islamic State and the US-led airstrikes against it.

Although refused a full interview, the Sky News team were allowed to sit in on a discussion, taking place in the garden of his home in Amman.

In the balmy evening air on the northern outskirts of the Jordanian capital, Qatada - the man who UK authorities fought for eight years to deport - was holding court.

Tens of well-wishers came through, congratulating him on his acquittal and release, as the group discussed the attacks on IS in Syria and Iraq.

But this was no ordinary gathering.

Among those present was another al Qaeda-affiliated jihadist recently released from Jordanian prison, Sheik Abu Mohammed al Maqdisi.

Al Maqdisi is often described as the "mentor" to Abu Moussab al Zarqawi - the man who founded the group al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) from which IS grew.

From this extraordinary discussion came one very clear message: the US-led airstrikes were a "crusade against Islam".

That sentiment echoes statements made by the al Qaeda-affiliated rebel group fighting in Syria, Jahbat al Nusra.

That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, given both Qatada and al Maqdisi remain two of the most influential al Qaeda-supportive jihadist thinkers in the world.

The recent release of Qatada and al Maqdisi from Jordanian prisons has been seen as potentially connected to their clear condemnations of IS.

Fatwas issued by the men carry considerable weight amongst jihadist thinking globally.

And their criticisms of the actions of IS have the potential to do serious damage to any credibility it may have in the eyes of those sympathetic to its cause.

However, addressing the group, al Maqdisi slammed the airstrikes describing them as a "crusade against all of Islam".

He pointed out they are not only targeting IS fighters, but those of al Nusra too.

Al Maqdisi said efforts of himself and Qatada to persuade IS militants they had been "deceived" - under way before the airstrikes - have now been dashed.

Asked how he feels now about his deportation battle with the UK, Qatada told Sky: "I've left Britain and I've forgotten all about Britain."

Pushed for further comments, Qatada said he was not prepared to give an interview as he didn’t want to "say things in instalments".

But Qatada - once labelled "Bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe" - said he would issue a comprehensive statement on the situation soon.