Cleric Abu Hamza cleared for US extradition (Hook-handed terror supporter)

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | November 15, 2007 | Richard Holt

[Stoat]

Cleric Abu Hamza cleared for US extradition

By Richard Holt
 

Last Updated: 12:07pm GMT 15/11/2007

 

 

The radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza can be extradited to the US to face terror charges, a court has ruled.

	Hamza is wanted in the US on a total of 11 terror charges

London's City of Westminster Magistrates Court ruled that Abu Hamza al-Masri can now be tried in the US for allegedly trying to set up an al-Qa'eda training camp in Oregon.

He is wanted by US authorities on a total of 11 charges.

Following the court ruling, the extradition can go ahead provided it gets the approval of Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary.

Egyptian-born Hamza, 49, who is fitted with hooks on both partially-amputated arms, is currently serving a seven-year jail term for inciting followers to murder non-believers.

He was arrested on an extradition warrant issued by the US administration in May 2004 but the process was put on hold when he stood trial in Britain and attempted to appeal against his convictions.

A decision by the House of Lords in January this year to refuse him leave to make a further appeal against his convictions left the path clear for extradition proceedings.

Senior District Judge Timothy Workman said: "The defendant is currently serving a sentence of imprisonment in the United Kingdom, but subject to any representations from counsel I propose to send the matter to the Secretary of State for his decision on whether the defendant should be extradited to America."

The defence counsel Alun Jones QC said that he would be making submissions to the Home Office and he would also be writing to the Attorney General urging that the case be prosecuted in the UK.

Earlier this year Hamza's wife complained about her husband's treatment in high-security Belmarsh prison.

In a letter to a London-based Islamic organisation, Nagat Mostafa, 46, said her husband claimed to be the victim of racist bullying and Islamophobia.

An estimated one in six of Belmarsh's 920 prisoners is Muslim. Prison officers have warned of the threat of extremists "radicalising" inmates.

[Stoat]

Abu Hamza Can Be Sent To US Sky NewsHouse Ads

Abu Hamza Al Masri Can Be Sent To US

Updated:12:05, Thursday November 15, 2007

 

Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al Masri can be extradited to the United States to face terrorism charges.

 

Abu Hamza al Masri

The 49-year-old was jailed in the UK for seven years, in February 2006, for soliciting murder and inciting racial hatred.

He is wanted by US authorities on 11 charges.

Hamza is accused of attempting to set up a terrorist training camp in Bly, Oregon, from 1999 to early 2000, and also providing support to al Qaeda and the Taliban.

The cleric, who applauded the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, also faces charges that he was involved in plotting the taking of 16 Western hostages in Yemen in 1998.

Four of the hostages, three Britons and an Australian, were killed when Yemeni troops stormed the militants' hideout.

If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of up to 100 years in prison.

London's City of Westminster Magistrates Court approved the extradition but the decision has to be ratified by the Home Secretary.

Senior District Judge Timothy Workman said: "The defendant is currently serving a sentence of imprisonment in the United Kingdom.

"But subject to any representations from counsel I propose to send the matter to the Secretary of State for his decision on whether the defendant should be extradited to America."

Alun Jones QC, defending, immediately announced that he would be making submissions to the Home Office and he would also be writing to the Attorney General urging that the case be prosecuted in the UK.

[Wiz]

Can he be charged with death penalty?

[Stoat]

Court rules to extradite cleric Abu Hamza Top News Reuters

Court rules to extradite cleric Abu Hamza

Thu Nov 15, 2007 12:28pm GMT

 

 

[

 

By Peter Graff

LONDON (Reuters) - A court ruled on Thursday that radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri could be extradited to the United States to face terrorism charges including trying to set up an al Qaeda training camp in Oregon.

Egyptian-born Hamza, 49, serving a seven-year jail term in Britain for inciting his followers to murder non-believers, is wanted by U.S. authorities on 11 charges.

The U.S. indictment accuses Hamza -- who used to wear a hook in place of a missing hand -- of attempting to set up a terrorist training camp in Bly, Oregon, from 1999 to early 2000, and also providing support to al Qaeda and the Taliban.

Hamza, who applauded the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, also faces charges that he was involved in plotting the taking of 16 Western hostages in Yemen in 1998.

Four of the hostages, three Britons and an Australian, were killed when Yemeni troops stormed the militants' hideout.

If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of up to 100 years in prison.

The City of Westminster Magistrates Court approved the extradition but that decision has to be ratified by the British Home Secretary (interior minister).

"I am therefore satisfied that the matters for which the United States of America seeks the defendant's extradition are extradition offences ... and that extradition would be compatible with the defendant's convention rights," said Judge Timothy Workman.

Under new extradition laws brought in this year, suspects can be extradited from Britain to the United States while they are serving a jail term.

However, Workman criticised the solitary confinement regime at U.S. top security prisons and said evidence that a prisoner might be locked in one for long periods could be enough to block an extradition on human rights grounds.

Hamza, a former nightclub bouncer, was jailed by a London court in February 2006 over sermons which prosecutors said repeatedly advocated the killing of Jews and other non-Muslims.

Although he was never linked to any specific plot, police said his Finsbury Park Mosque had acted as a base for militants.

A number of Islamists jailed for plotting terrorist attacks in Britain in recent years worshipped there, and the mosque had attracted the likes of convicted "shoebomber" Richard Reid and jailed September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui.

Hamza, who has one eye and wore the hook in place of one of two hands he lost in Afghanistan, had long been a hate figure for the British tabloid press, a sentiment that grew in intensity after the London bombings in July 2005.

However after his conviction, his British lawyer said Hamza felt he was a "prisoner of faith". His lawyers said they would fight the extradition request on human rights grounds and argued he should be tried in Britain over the Yemen charges.

(Writing by Michael Holden; Editing by Dominic Evans)

[Stoat]

Can he be charged with death penalty?

From the article:

If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of up to 100 years in prison.

I''m guessing that there are a few problems with a death penalty in this case:

• I don't believe that any of the US charges are Capital offenses
• That would probably have been a HUGE stumbling block in any extradition, as the UK does not have death penalty laws.

[Stoat]

Your entirely reasonable question was one of several I had that were not addressed in the first posted article, which is why I posted two more, all providing a few extra snippets of information.

[fredhead]

IMHO the Brits just want him out of their prison system. I reference this quote from the article:

“Prison officers have warned of the threat of extremists “radicalising” inmates.”

[bert]

.....fitted with hooks on both partially-amputated arms.....

Thou shalt not steal....

[Stoat]

IMHO the Brits just want him out of their prison system. I reference this quote from the article:

“Prison officers have warned of the threat of extremists “radicalising” inmates.”

I have no doubt that our British Friends would be delighted to be rid of him for the reason you cite as well as the fact that he has been an extremely "high maintenance" inmate....just search Free Republic or international news sources with keywords "abu hamza" and you'll get a bushel basket of hits, all detailing some effort on his part to manipulate the system in one fashion or another.

He also continues to have a strong following in the UK and it will be good for overall security there to be rid of him so that he will provide less of an inspiration to empty-headed jihadists.

IMHO the Brits just want him out of their prison system. I reference this quote from the article:

“Prison officers have warned of the threat of extremists “radicalising” inmates.”

[Romneyfor President2008]

Didn't Jamie Foxx and his team get Abu Hamza??

[Rummyfan]

Try him, convict him, and dump him in SuperMax in 24-hour isolation. And no conferences with Lynn Stewart!

[Stoat]

Try him, convict him, and dump him in SuperMax in 24-hour isolation. And no conferences with Lynn Stewart!

That would certainly be nice.  Short of an active volcano, I can't think of a hole deep enough that I would want to drop him into.

Sadly, one of the numerous ugly aspects of his existence is the requirement of nursing assistance whenever he relieves himself, due to his hooked hands.

UK papers have described this as "the worst job in the world" as I recall, and that sounds about right.  Despite his disabilities, he appears to focus all of his and his supporters' energies upon milking the system and causing trouble in any conceivable way.  He views his incarceration as an opportunity to continue his war upon the West.

[The Pack Knight]

Short of an active volcano, I can't think of a hole deep enough that I would want to drop him into.



I think eight feet ought to be deep enough.

[rogue yam]

“We’re comin’ for ya, Hookie! Better keep an eye out!”

[RichInOC]

“Throw ya hands in the air, and catch ‘em like ya just don’t care...”