Human wrongs

There is a danger in this week’s ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that Abu Hamza and four other Islamic extremists can be extradited to face terror charges in America. The danger is that it makes the court look reasonable and in doing so weakens the case for removing Britain from its jurisdiction. The Prime Minister did nothing to allay this fear when he appeared flattered by the court’s ruling, admitting only to a little frustration at the speed of its decisions.

But one apparently reasonable decision does not eliminate the court’s inadequacies, or the indefensible fact that Britain has to wait to hear from Strasbourg over matters of national security and sovereignty. Nor is this week’s decision final — Hamza and the others can appeal. The five men cannot be deported for at least three months, and even if they are finally sent to America, it will still leave Abu Qatada, who continues to live at UK taxpayers’ expense, in London.