A terror suspect linked to Osama bin Laden has been freed on bail after spending more than seven years in jail awaiting deportation.

The 45-year-old Algerian, who can be identified only by the initial "U", was released from Long Lartin high-security prison in Worcestershire after a successful appeal which overturned a ruling by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac).

A Siac spokeswoman said: "As of today I can confirm he has been released."

The Government has claimed in court that U was a leading organiser of a major terror group and his followers plotted to bomb the Christmas market in Strasbourg in 2000 and were also involved in an earlier plan to attack Los Angeles airport.

He had been in custody since February 2001, when he was stopped at Heathrow trying to board a flight to Saudi Arabia on a false passport.

The US sought to extradite him but the application was withdrawn after the main witness against him, terror supergrass Ahmed Ressam, refused to testify.

Siac concluded last year that there were "credible grounds" for believing the Government's claims that U had "direct links to Osama bin Laden" and held a "senior position" at a mujahedin training camp in Afghanistan.

According to Siac, the terror group formed and led by U had links with al-Qaeda, and was known by one of the names the suspect used in Afghanistan.

But it cannot be referred to in the media because of anonymity restrictions imposed by Siac. Publication of the exact details of his release is banned and even the town where he will now live.

Another court order prohibits the public from seeing any photographs of U or anyone at his address.

The Algerian's release comes just two weeks after firebrand preacher Abu Qatada was freed on bail by Siac. In comparison, he was bailed on a 22-hour a day curfew and with other limits on his behaviour and finances.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "It is our position that individuals who are not British nationals who pose a threat to the national security of the UK should be deported. We cannot comment on U's case.

"Bail conditions are a matter for the court, but we argued for and received very strict conditions indeed."

It is understood that a further Siac hearing and a House of Lords appeal on some of the points in the case are now being prepared.

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