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John Stillwell / PA via AP, file
Abu Hamza, who can now be lawfully extradited to the United States to face terror charges, along with five others.
A radical Muslim preacher can be lawfully extradited from Britain to the United States to face charges that he helped set up an al-Qaida terrorist training camp in Oregon, a court in Europe ruled Tuesday.
Abu Hamza, whose amputated forearms are replaced by hooks, is accused of conspiring to establish a training camp in Bly, Ore., where followers received combat and weapons training for violent jihad, or holy war, in Afghanistan.
The U.S. also believes he helped the extremists who kidnapped 16 foreign tourists in Yemen in 1998. Three British tourists and one Australian visitor were killed in a shootout between Yemeni security forces and the captors.
His extradition –and that of five others on similar charges – has been on hold since 2008 while European judges considered whether conditions at the high-security ADX Florence prison in Colorado would constitute a breach of human rights, making extradition unlawful.
Al-Qaida's top man in Europe freed from British jail
Based on charges filed in the U.S., the suspects could get lifelong jail terms without parole in maximum security conditions, such as with concrete furniture, timed showers, tiny cell windows and no outside communications.
The European Court of Human Rights, based in Strasbourg, France, finally ruled Tuesday that five of the six would not be subject to "ill-treatment" at ADX Florence. The court put off its decision on a sixth accused, Haroon Rashid Aswat, as it awaits further information, including details about his mental health.
The other five may now be legally extradited, although the court said procedures should not start until a possible appeals process is completed.
Britain’s home secretary, Theresa May, told NBC News efforts to extradite the five to the U.S. would begin “as soon as possible” after the appeals window has passed.
“These are individuals who have been accused of some very serious offenses, it is right that they stand trial, I believe it is right that we were able to extradite them," she said.
Lord Carlile, a Liberal Democrat party lawmaker and lawyer with expertise in anti-terror legislation, told NBC News Tuesday's ECHR ruling was “entirely sensible”.
He said: “It's a great shame it has taken so long for the European Court of Human Rights to produce it, at the best part for two years.
“If I sit in London and commit an offense on the internet in the United States, which affects allegedly American national security and safety of American citizens, in my view it would be entirely reasonable for me to be tried in the United States.”
Egypt-born Hamza, also known Mustafa Kamal Mustafa, is already serving a seven-year sentence in Britain for soliciting to murder and inciting racial hatred.
His case had become the focus of growing concern that the European court could over-rule Britain’s attempts to extradite him, potentially compromising national security.
He came to the UK to study in the early 1980s, meeting and marrying an English woman, Valerie Fleming, and receiving British citizenship - although the couple are divorced.
His forearms were amputated after he was injured in Afghanistan, although the exact circumstances have never been clear, according to previous BBC reports. The cause of the accident that led to his disability was not discussed in Tuesday's court ruling.
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Boo! Looks like they are rolling out a new boogie man to scare all of the weak minded! Amerika doesnt have a terrorist problem they have a goverment problem.. Its the perfect war to get what they want.. Its never ending and they can warp it to encompass what ever they want..
Tell that to the Timesquare bomber and WTC.
Sounds like you mad at the U.S. and fully support the terrorist. What happened did they reduce your Welfare Payment?
sorry mister that you are so bitter. America does need a vigilant international and national look out for terrorists who want to do harm. Fortunately, since 9/11, the people in charge of national security have sought and stymied a number of albeit amateur terror attempts right here in the US. To state the threat is unreal is incorrect and uninformed.
Sublime is one of those deniers that only thinks white Americans can be terrorists in America ala Timothy McVeigh. There is no such thing as any radical foreign Islamist that can be a threat to America (and kindly note the cute little "k" in his/her replacement of the letter "c" in America) in their minds.
And regarding radical Islamic terrorism overseas, that London train bombing was a made up event as was every hijacking in world history. Radical Islamic anti-Western terrorism just doesn't exist through the rose colored myopic glasses to these kinds of people! One has to wonder where these people come, what kind of education they've had, who they hang out with, and where they get their information and critical thinking from.
Great!!!! US Taxpayers get to pay for a nurse to wipe his Butt for the rest of his life
Sublime is a slimeball!
Lopan13, would you like to volunteer for that job?
Keep this one eyed, tow hooked monster in Europe. They like him better.
JoeB hit the nail right on the head.... and 10tacle, I think the "k" replacement is none other than a classic case of illiteracy, hence the bitterness.
sublime you need to put your head where the sun doesn't shine, & your hook buddy can dig it out. all these extremist's, that want to do USA harm, there should be large reward's on them & give all the help we can to mercinaries to ried the world of these monsters. on news reports we see meetings of hundred's of them chanting kill americans & jew's, i believe when we know where they are meeting, it's time for the drone's, inacent till proven doesent apply here, anybody that can strap a bomb to there back & kill women & children, because they believe they will be with (70) virgins, what a bunch of crap, this is no differant then what hitler did, how these people can get their young people to do these things, brainwashed, i know it's alway's a very small % of people that act this way & it has alway's been this way since history began
Good luck getting these sheep to see that. "This war is not meant to be won, rather it is meant to be endless, through which poverty and ignorance shall rule, as guided by his hand"-George Orwell
Sublime, don't pay any attention to those weak minded fellows posting on this page, who disagree with you. They have their heads so far up their behind that they are unable to understand what you are talking about. Don't get me wrong, I'am by no means defending that creep Hamsa, or any other jihadist terrorist, he deserves what's coming to him, apart from having no hands and only one eye. Those that disagree with you are the same racists that want to take America back to Amerika. They have the mind of the lynching mob that hanged black people from trees because they happened to be black, (now they shoot them and claim self-defense). They have the mentality of the KKK, an American terrorist organization sanctioned by "Americans" with the same mentality. Talking about being bitter!These people are so bittered, that they hate the idea of having a wonderful, intellingent and decent black president for a change. They can't find in their mind a tiny space that is not contaminated with racist hatred, so they pick on people like you who dares not to be a racist like they are. So don't pay attention to them. Oh, by the way, it is not a government problem; it is a Republican problem. They are in Congress to keep government from functioning properly.
@Sebastian - You are completely wrong, you are the one that is bitter and full of hate.
p.s. We ALL would love having a decent Black President...we just didn't get one this time around!
For you and other UNINFORMED people...the only terrorist threats DC's gestapo has caught, are those threats the DC gestapo created and set up with patsies...have doubts then just google the details on most big news sites....DC is creating terrorist threats to bust those threats and publish them as "SEE HOW WE ARE PROTECTING YOU" propaganda pieces.
Gotta say, that is one mean-looking SOB. I don't think the boys in Supermax will be too impressed though. I hope he's enjoyed the cozy European hospitality, because there won't be any virgins waiting for him here.
How about sending them off to meet their seventy two virgins early?
Another "leader," for the weak-minded saps, being sent to prison--that's okay with me. It gets him off the streets and out of the heads of the fools who follow him. He's the kind of guy who likes doing harm. He's not about religion, he's about power over people. He just uses his religion as an excuse to manipulate. Power is his drug of choice. Only an idiot would follow him or his out-of-place, out-of-mind ideology.
He wanted to start a terrorist training camp in Oregon, that's a weird place to start a terrorist camp because most Muslims live in Michigan, New York and California. That and Oregon has their own local militia if you catch my drift.
Oregon does offer a lot of isolated areas, making it more difficult to be detected.
Why not put him in with the general prison populace, then 72 virgins could have him.
What an absolute waste of time, effort, and money. He's just what the U.S. needs right now...more pissed off Arabs.
I hope they send him to Guantanamo because he has no business being in U.S. soil.
He could always go hang out with Osama at the bottom of the ocean
It is not a waste time to take people who want to harm US citizens off the streets and put them in jail. We worry too much about the sensitivities of our enemies in the Arab nations. Our Arab friends understand the need for capturing and putting terrorists in jail. We should end our military involvement in Arab internal business and bring our troops home so Arabs can take care of their own Arabian business!
Well Mikey. . .What are you afraid of. Do you think because of this they might want to do us harm instead of loving us. . .as they do now?
Dog... I could care less about these sub-humans. The end result will be another martyr in the U.S. prison system. My question is why? We shouldn't even know this guys name, since he should have been dispatched long ago. You cannot use western ideology on these animals who only understand power. If you want to negotiate with terrorists, it's a waste of time. If you want to get their attention, stack them up like cord wood along their roads.
Well you can tell he is a Bomb Maker, it's common Knowledge to US Military Personal, those who are missing Limbs and are Insergents or Al Queda, are Bomb Makers, some of their bombs have a tendency to blow up on them, like blasting caps going off taking a person's army orhands off.
According to a news release by El Jizzear , while he was appearing at a Jewish childrens hospital as Azzwipe The Clown , there was an unexplained malfunction while making balloon animals .
No hooks in prison, only stumps. If he gets hooks, then everybody else should be issued shanks. Approaching him from the left to shank his ass looks to be the best tactic. I don't think he sees too good out of that eye.
Why the need to describe him as "hook handed"? If he had an artificial leg, glass eye, or some other prosthetic, would that be pointed out too? What does missing an arm, leg or hand have to do with anything?
I don't say this out of respect for this individual, but out of respect for people with handicaps.
No wonder he's a terrorist. He can't wipe his ass. He can't pee by his self. I see him in one of the " Pirates of the Somalia coast" movies. LOL. Seriously..just whack his ass!!
Someone told me that 'Toilet paper' is unheard of in Afghanistan. I wonder if that is true?
only his hook sniffer...knows for sure...
Can't please himself either, so he probably has a lot of pent up frustration.
he may have rubbed a magic lamp...when the genie ask him what he wanted...said he wanted one he couldn't reach around with both hands...
arggghhh...send him to the brig, matie! Then make him walk the plank!
Keel Haul im mates
I bet a year from now he will have 2 nice new prosthetic arms along with full dental work while in a USA prison all paid for by US Tax dollars.......what a bunch of B.S.
Yuk!!! This guy is just plain "Fugly". I wonder why the Brits aren't handling their own business of dealing with this terrorist. They should simply send him through a meat grinder and send his remains in a package back to whence he originally came from...unrefrigerated so that his rotten flesh chokes them to death when they open it.
A couple things. Let's not devolve to the level of the terrorists. We have laws, rules and regulations we need to follow, no matter how heinous the crime, or we are worse then the criminals. I realise that it is cathartic to demand the harshest punishment/revenge for what some have done but to actually commit these reprisals to a person under our control proves their point, not ours. Also, I, personally, would much rather be stuck with a needle and go to 'sleep' then spend several decades seeing virtually no-one, having no communication, barely even able to see the outside etc. Just my opinion but think about it.
Curious why his forearms were amputated, could it be an injury suffered during an unexpected *accident* whilst constructing explosive devices ?! or so that now he could not construct such devices w/out blowing himself up in the process..
The other curious thing is the statement in the article:
"His extradition –and that of five others on similar charges – has been on hold since 2008 while European judges considered whether conditions at the high-security ADX Florence prison in Colorado would constitute a breach of human rights, making extradition unlawful. "
Wait, 4 years they've been sitting around whilst European judges *wonder* if conditions at this prison in the US breaches human rights ?! What is a prison, a vacation resort ?! What *rights* beyond food, bathing, clothing, a place to sleep out of the elements are people expected to get in prison ??!!
I suppose they want to have sleep number beds, a little too rough or low on this side of the bed, just press the remote and instantly adjust to your comfort! What about a bar w/ 27 imported wines and liquors to choose from, maybe some opium plants in a cute little window-garden, two massages per day, room service and conjugal visits.... Insanity..
Its really sad that criminals are treated as victims who deserve special rights when they violate the rights of the true victims, they people they perpetrated a crime against. How much more can you "breach human rights" than a criminal that takes someone's life when they've done nothing deserving of death ?!
People often question whether its justified to defend oneself or property even to death, interesting that the Bible in Exodus 22:2 states
"If a thief be found breaking in, and be smitten that he dies, there shall no blood be shed for him." (KJ200)
Though I do not use it, but for some in authority the Living Translation might be simpler to understand,
"If a thief is caught in the act of breaking into a house and is struck and killed in the process, the person who killed the thief is not guilty of murder."
However in the US system of governance, its often the home owner that is guilty of some crime if he/she did not allow themselves to be victimized, not just being robbed, but kidnapped/raped/maimed/murdered and then allow police to investigate and hope they find the perpetrator(s) and send them to this apparent prison *resort*.
Off with their heads!Or at the very least kneecap them.
This man, and the men and women who think like him, believe they are capable of following God's Laws. They fancy themselves with the ability of obeying God's Laws and also enforcing them. This man is the poster child of why it is so important to maintain a healthly separation of church and state. Hamza is the kind of person who thinks God won't love people if they don't believe as he does. He will kidnap, torture, and kill anyone whose journey on this earth offends him in some way. Any government who recognizes a separation of church and state is this man's enemy. I am proud of America for adhereing to this principle. I am happy to be this man's enemy. I am glad that my life would offend him. I praise the men and women who have sacrificed their very Godly lives that I would never be under the hook of a turd like this. God has seen fit to remove both this man's arms, put out an eye, and deliver him to his arch enemy in shackles. There just may be hope for him yet.
Dustin;
is this the same GOD that allowed 9/11, allowed a 6 year old to be pulled into a woodchipper, the same god that allows kids to die of starvation in the USA...
Don't give GOD credit when GOD is 'allowing' far more pain, suffering and death all over the earth...seems GOD is more intent on killing us all off in the most horrible and painful ways possible.
Ha! Get a load of this ugly creep will ya! He sure was absent when they were passing out good looks.
A terrorist training camp in Oregon? It would be Laughable if it weren't so serious. Why does our Government keep on Importing these Muslim's????? The U.S. is bringing these people in this country from all around the world by the Hundred's of thousand's. Why? For what reason? It's absolutely crazy. It's political correctness run Amuck. Our Government bring's these people here, give them all kind's of Aid, and then we get this in thank's for it. These people are not looking for a better life, all they care about and live for is Allah and the Virgin's they will get.
That's a pretty ignorant comment.
So let's say there are maybe a thousand possible islamic terrorists in the USA, you think that the other few hundred thousand or even a million or more should be blamed?
What about all the skinhead and Arayan training camps around the US? Should we lock up every person who is a racist? They may come knocking at your door soon.
Because only ignorant racists and bigots judge whole groups of people by the actions of a small subset of the groups.
Wonder how he lost both arms ? I'm guessing an explosive device......or he really ticked off some of his terrorist buddies ....
Do you know what the most common cause of death is for guys with hook hands? Jock itch...
After reading many of the comments, I am surprised that more people are not discussing the terrorist training camp in Oregon. This problems of US Mosques religious leaders advocating violent Jihad has been documented and reports submitted to the Congress. It is amazing just how tolerant the US government has been toward this behavior and yet makes it a felony for American citizens to peacefully protest on federal lands. I have to wonder if the passing of s1867 and this new law pertaining to federal lands is the result of how widespread the advocation of violent Jihad has become in America.
Keep in mind who's running the country now. Bring him to Oregon and turn him loose, that's the way it's done these days. Why don't they let the American people deal with him. Shot him!
I heard this guy loves Ernest Hemingway's work. there's one novel he likes especially.;) ;)
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Shoot um' where he sits, stop wasting time and money. He tried to run, I saw him.
How come Muslims are so good looking?
Wait until Nancy Grace gets to cover this case. Place your left hook on the Koran, and raise your right hook. I am sure he'll keep an eye out for the other inmates. You know he'll never get invited to any circle jerks. He looks like a pirate, and he wanted to set up a terrorist training camp in '' Bly", Oregon. Surely he would have wanted to be a captain !