convicted bomb plotter jailed for 45 years for an attempt to blow up an Israeli airliner today won his appeal against the British government's refusal to release him.
Two High Court judges ruled that Nezar Hindawi, who is serving what is believed to be the longest specific jail term imposed by an English court, was subjected to a "flawed and unfair" decision-making process.
Hindawi was from a Palestinian family whose land had been expropriated by Israel, and who had become refugees in Jordan.
When the Middle East six-day war broke out and the village where he lived was burned he joined the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), became a writer and travelled to London.
In 1986 he was convicted of attempting to destroy an El-Al plane flying from Heathrow to Tel Aviv.
He hid explosives in the hand baggage of his pregnant fiancee without her knowledge, but the explosives were detected and the plot failed.
Hindawi became eligible for possible parole in 2001 after serving one third of his sentence.
However successive ministers have rejected his applications for early release, leading to a series of legal battles.
In 2003 David Blunkett refused to refer his case to the Parole Board.
In 2009 the board recommended release but then-justice secretary Jack Straw refused, a decision also adopted by current Justice Secretary Ken Clarke.
But Lord Justice Thomas and Mrs Justice Nicola Davies quashed their decisions.
A further hearing will be held to decide whether the Supreme Court should now make a final ruling, or whether the Justice Secretary should be ordered to reconsider his decision.
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