LONDON, July 20: Britain on Wednesday took a first step toward striking a deal with Jordan to enable British courts to deport Jordanians who are seen as a menace, one of a raft of measures to crack down on so-called hate preachers.

The British government is hoping to agree similar arrangements with other countries, notably in North Africa, and wants to bolster existing powers to exclude from Britain or expel anyone who incites or condones acts of terrorism in preachings or writing.

In the past, human rights laws have thwarted efforts to expel people who have preached violence whilst in the country.

Under the agreement with Jordan, the Amman government would have to guarantee a deportee would not be tortured or otherwise mistreated at home and would not face the death penalty.

One religious leader who has come under fire for his sermons is Abu Qatada, a Jordanian-Palestinian, who has been convicted in absentia in Jordan for bomb plots there.

British authorities say 18 videotapes of his sermons were found in an apartment in Germany used by three of the hijackers who carried out the Sept 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke told parliament he expected the agreement to be signed as soon as possible. British courts must first rule on any deportation.

The deal comes as politicians and the media step up pressure on Prime Minister Tony Blair to deport foreign-born Muslim leaders who preach violence or incite acts of terror in Britain.

Mr Blair’s spokesman said earlier the agreement was part of a drive to step up monitoring of ‘what people say’. He would not say if London had any Jordanian nationals in its sights.

Britain plans to create three new offences under terror laws to be brought before parliament in October.—Reuters