London: Abu Qatada, described as Osama bin Laden's "ambassador" in Europe, has been arrested under the anti-terrorists Laws in a dramatic raid on his hideout in London, Scotland Yard police sources said.

The 42-year old radical Muslim cleric, whose real name is Sheikh Omar Mahmood Abu Omar, has been accused by police in eight countries of being a pivotal figure in the al-Qaida terrorist network.

Qatada was arrested at a council house in Bermondsey, South London, in a joint operation by Scotland Yard anti-terrorist branch detectives and Mi5. He is now in Belmarsh security prison, 'The Times' daily reported on October 25.

His arrest is a major success for Britain and will be welcomed by the US and European leaders who have been shown secret intelligence on Qatada's role in bin Laden's network.

He is said to have "recruited" figures like Zacharias Moussaoui, the "20th hijacker" and "shoe bomber" Richard Reid.

Quoting intelligence chiefs in Italy, Germany and France, the daily said they have evidence that al-Qaida agents planning bomb and chemical attacks were in close contact with Qatada. Some, like the leader of an al-Qaida cell in Spain, also made frequent trips to London to visit him.

Qatada has been on the run in Britain for 10 months after disappearing just hours before new Laws came into force allowing police to pick and intern foreign terrorist suspects.

His name was at the top of the list for arrest but last December he slipped away from his home in Acton in a people carrier, taking his pregnant wife and four children with him.

His arrest comes just days after he broke cover to release a document "The Legal Vision for the September 11 Events" on the net outlining "moral" case for the attacks, and praises bin Laden for challenging the US.

PTI