Bin Laden’s former spokesman allowed into UK after hour-long video call

Osama bin Laden’s former alleged spin doctor, who was jailed abroad for his role in deadly bombings, was let back into the UK after only speaking to officials for an hour, The Daily Mirror has reported.

Adel Abdel Bary returned to Britain in 2020 after being released eight years into his 25-year sentence for involvement in the Al-Qaeda bombing of two US embassies in East Africa in 1998 that killed 224 people.

Bary was extradited from the UK in 2012 and served just eight years of his sentence in the US after being released on compassionate grounds. He was considered high risk from COVID-19 because of his obesity and asthma.

During a hearing into the ongoing monitoring of the alleged spin doctor, it has been revealed that officials spoke to Bary for only 60 minutes on a video call to the US before he was allowed to return to the UK and rejoin his family.

Documents cited by the UK newspaper said that “Bary has had previous and significant involvement with Al-Qaeda. Bary’s current mindset and extremist ideology is largely unknown and untested.

“It is assessed by SO15 that he does pose a risk to security of the UK, even if the extent ... is difficult to quantify.

“From the recent initial risk interview ... Bary has commented he has no desire to reoffend or reengage upon return to the UK and wishes to rebuild family relationships, posing no threat to the UK.

“Although initially positive, this commitment is untested and would require assessment over time following release and reintegration in the community.

“Accordingly, Bary’s commitment to desist and disengage are also untested.”

In February, Bary challenged a Scotland Yard monitoring order, saying it would exacerbate post-traumatic stress disorder “associated with imprisonment and torture in Egypt, then imprisonment in the UK and US.”

A High Court judge has sanctioned the order — and it has emerged that Bary’s immigration status is under review by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel.

The judgment said that “Bary is not subject to license conditions. But the Home Secretary is reviewing his immigration status and he has been subject to immigration bail conditions and restricted leave to remain.”

The Home Office has said that “safety and security is the first priority and the police, security and intelligence agencies have a range of powers available to manage individuals.”