OTTAWA - Suspected al Qaeda collaborator Mohamed Harkat is being freed from jail, but will remain under house arrest until his next hearing.
In a ruling today, Federal Court Justice Eleanor Dawson says Harkat must stay inside his Ottawa residence until a court proceeding Monday.
Federal authorities swooped down on Harkat earlier this week and arrested him in the shower for allegedly violating strict bail conditions.
Lawyers argued for hours Thursday over whether a change in Harkat's living arrangements amounted to a breach of bail terms set by the court.
Government lawyers claim Harkat breached bail conditions because his mother-in-law, Pierrette Brunette, is no longer a full-time resident of the house where Harkat and his wife, Sophie, live in a basement apartment.
Matt Webber, counsel for Harkat, said the sudden arrest was unnecessary because his client's behaviour had been impeccable.
Federal lawyer David Tyndale said the supervision scheme for Harkat was "so far broke'' that trying to piece it together over the weekend was not acceptable.
