A POINT OF VIEW
By Clive James
Imagine you’re a huge fan of an author for his writing, only to discover something deeply unpleasant about the man himself. You could boycott his books - but that would be an act of dogma that could be every bit as blinkered as the reason for your objection. Dilemmas, dilemmas…
At a time when Iraqis who have risked their lives for Britain in Basra need a newspaper campaign to be allowed into this country, the radical cleric, Abu Qatada, apparently can’t be allowed out. The case of Abu Qatada might have been designed as an extreme test for the principle that the rule of law must be put before our feelings. My own feelings on the matter are quite clear. I feel that Abu Qatada should be locked up in a suitably padded cell with a television set he can’t turn off, the television set showing nothing except one episode after another of Big Brother.
