USA/FILE: U.S. court fight starts for radical cleric Abu Hamza extradited from Britain

Record ID: 858160

  • Title: USA/FILE: U.S. court fight starts for radical cleric Abu Hamza extradited from Britain
  • Date: 7th October 2012
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 6, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF COURTHOUSE
  • Embargoed: 22nd October 2012 13:00
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  • Location: Usa
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  • Country: USA
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAC57DCSSL5VTC69KBVC0R6K41Z
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  • Story Text: Radical Islamist cleric Abu Hamza and four others appear in court after being extradited from Britain to the U.S. to face trial and a potential life sentence on terrorism charges.
    Islamist cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri appeared in federal court in New York on Saturday (October 6) after Britain extradited the one-eyed radical preacher to the United States to face trial and a potential life sentence on terrorism charges.
    The Egyptian-born Abu Hamza, 54, is accused by Washington of supporting al Qaeda, aiding a kidnapping in Yemen and plotting to open a training camp for militants in the United States.
    He was flown late on Friday (October 5) to the United States along with four other men also wanted on U.S. terrorism charges.
    Under the terms of British and European court rulings authorizing the extradition, the five suspects must be tried in U.S. civilian courts and federal prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty.
    At a brief hearing in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Hamza was informed of the charges he faces, but will not be asked to enter a plea until he returns to court on Tuesday (October 9).
    Hamza was indicted by a federal grand jury in New York in April 2004. He is accused of involvement in a 1998 hostage-taking in Yemen that resulted in the deaths of four hostages - three Britons and one Australian.
    He was also accused of providing material support to al Qaeda by trying to set up a training camp for fighters in Oregon in the United States and of trying to organize support for the Taliban in Afghanistan.
    If convicted, Hamza could face up to life in prison.
    U.S. officials said they were pleased that Hamza and the other men would finally answer to the long-standing charges.
    Saudi native Khalid al-Fawwaz, 50, and Egyptian Adel Abdul Bary, 52, also appeared in federal court in New York on Saturday. Both pleaded not guilty to charges that they and others were involved in the 1998 al Qaeda bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people.
    Also on Saturday, British citizens Babar Ahmad, 38, and Syed Talha Ahsan, 33, charged with supporting al Qaeda and other militant groups by operating various websites promoting Islamic holy war, pleaded not guilty before a federal judge in New Haven, Connecticut, court records showed.
    Dressed in blue prison garb, Hamza, born Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, spoke only once during Saturday's 10-minute court hearing before Magistrate Judge Frank Maas. Through his court appointed lawyer, Hamza asked that his prosthetics be returned to him and that he receive proper medical attention.
    A fiery anti-Western speaker, who wears a hook in place of his missing right hand, he is said to have inspired some of the world's most high-profile militants including Zacarias Moussaoui, one of the accused Sept. 11, 2001 conspirators.
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