Charles Clarke reacted angrily today after a senior United Nations official warned that his plans to deport foreign extremists breached international human rights obligations.

The clash came as the Home Secretary announced that deportations of so-called "preachers of hate" from the UK would begin within days under the Government’s new list of "unacceptable behaviours".

Banned behaviours include the expression of views which "foment, justify or glorify" terrorism, or which "foster hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the UK".

Mr Clarke said that the measures were necessary to counter the "real and significant" terrorist threat facing the UK after the London suicide bombings on July 7.

But the UN’s special rapporteur on torture, Manfred Nowak, accused the Government of trying to circumvent its duty not to deport people to countries where they could face torture or abuse.

He urged ministers to drop plans to seek memorandums of understanding with a number of North African and Middle East states that individuals returned to those countries would not be tortured. Such diplomatic assurances were not an "appropriate tool" to eradicate the risk of abuse in countries where torture was known to take place, he said.

Today the Home Secretary retorted furiously that the UN was too pre-occupied with the human rights of terrorists when it should be more concerned about their victims.

"The human rights of those people who were blown up on the Tube in London on July 7 are, to be quite frank, more important than the human rights of the people who committed those acts," he told the ITV News Channel.

"It is a balance, of course, and I acknowledge that there are real issues that have to be addressed, but I wish the UN would look at human rights in the round rather than simply focusing all the time on the terrorist."

Further clashes are likely, with lawyers warning that the Government will face a protracted legal battle through courts if it tries to deport people to countries where there is considered to be a risk of torture.

Tony Blair has already signalled that he is gearing up for a fight, saying that he would be prepared to amend the Human Rights Act, if necessary, in order to ensure that the Government is able to impose its will.

The publication of the list of "unacceptable behaviours" does not give the Government any new powers, but is intended to clarify when ministers can and should act.

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