London, Apr 20 : For the first time, the jailed radical Islamic cleric Abu Qatada has been linked to terrorist organisation al-Qaeda by one of the terror group's own leaders.
Adil al-Abbab, revealed recently as Osama Bin Laden's head of religious affairs in Saudi Arabia, said: "Free our prisoners and the prisoners of the Muslims. O Allah! Free Sheikh Abu Qatada."
Qatada, long suspected of being the network's top European envoy, was respectfully referred to as "Sheikh" which denotes leadership, The Sun reports.
