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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Abu Qatada, the Islamist cleric recently extradited to Jordan from Britain to face terrorism charges, met his family on Thursday after a 22 year separation.

Authorities on Wednesday contacted Abu Qatada's family and allowed them to visit him in Muwaqqar prison on Thursday afternoon, MP Mohammad Hjouj told Ammon News.

Abu Qatada on Thursday saw his mother, father, and siblings in a special visit that lasted nearly one hour, Hjouj said, noting that this is the first time in 22 years that the convicted cleric sees his family.

The visit comes after 20 Members of Parliament signed a memorandum calling on the Minister of Interior to allow Abu Qatada's parents to visit him in prison.

Abu Qatada, whose real name is Omar Mahmoud Othman, 53, was deported back to Jordan on July 7th, and stood before the State Security Court the same day where he faced charges of conspiracy to carry out terrorism acts.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The cleric, who is closely affiliated with the Salafi Jihadi current, was condemned to death in absentia in 1999 for conspiracy to carry out terror attacks, including on the American School in Amman.

Jordan and Britain last month ratified a treaty of extradition that guarantees that evidence obtained by torture would be not used against Abu Qatada in his retrial.

Jordanian law allowed a retrial on charges brought against him in 1999, the death sentence was lated commuted to life imprisonment with hard labor.

Again in 2000, he was sentenced in absentia to 15 years for allegedly plotting to attack tourists in Jordan during the millennium celebrations.