Bin Laden top man sprung in deal with terrorists?

Carolyn Hileman - The Voice* | June 22, 2008

LONDON – Is the release from prison this week of a radical cleric once described as Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe part of a deal that Britain made with Gaza-based terrorists for the freedom last summer of kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston?

Johnston was released last July after being held captive by a Palestinian group for nearly four months – the longest detention of any foreign correspondent kidnapped in Gaza.

At the time of his release, Palestinian sources involved in the negotiations to free Johnston claimed to WND that Britain told the kidnappers through mediators it would free from jail Abu Qatada, who has been accused of serving as al-Qaida’s spiritual adviser in Europe.

The Palestinian sources involved in the Johnston negotiations claimed last year the British government pledged through a third-party mediator to release Abu Qatada only after a period of at least six months so the release wouldn’t appear connected to Johnston’s freedom.

Qatada had been detained in Britain as a terror suspect but was not tried or sentenced.

He is accused among other things of planning terror attacks in Jordan and advising 9/11 terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui and attempted shoe-bomber Richard Reid. Qatada’s sermons were found among the possessions of 9/11 operational leader Mohamed Atta.

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