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Subscribe to RSSRadical Islamist cleric Abu Hamza fought extradition for eight years, but today he lost his final appeal and will be sent from the United Kingdom to the United States to face terror charges. High court judges in the U.K. rejected a plea that the former Imam was ill and needed to undergo a brain scan. They also ruled that four other terror suspects should be extradited immediately. Paraic O'Brien, Channel Four Europe reports.
LONDON -- The radical Islamist cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri on Friday lost his final appeal against extradition from Britain to the United States, where he is wanted on charges of supporting al-Qaida and aiding a fatal kidnapping in Yemen.
Profiles of terror suspects being sent from UK to face US trials
Judges at the High Court in London dismissed his request for more medical tests that his lawyers said would prove he was unfit to be extradited, clearing the way for a handover.
The decision caps a long legal battle, which saw the cleric launch a fresh appeal in Britain last week after the European Court of Human Rights rejected his earlier bid to avoid being sent to the United States.
Cleric al-Masri loses bid to avoid extradition to US on terror charges
Britain's Home Office, or interior ministry, has said it will hand over al-Masri and four other suspects "as quickly as possible."
There was controversy last month after a BBC journalist revealed the Britain's Queen Elizabeth had privately raised concerns several years ago about why al-Masri had not been arrested. The BBC later apologized for the "breach of confidence."
If convicted, the Egyptian-born al-Masri, 54, could face a sentence of more than 100 years in an ultra-secure "Supermax" prison.
Royal censorship? BBC says 'sorry' for daring to report UK queen's comments
He had argued such treatment would contravene Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits inhumane and degrading treatment.
Al-Masri, who has one eye and a metal hook for a hand, is one of the most radical Islamists in Britain, a country he has attacked for its support of U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Four terrorists wanted on U.S. charges have lost their case at the European Court of Human Rights and will be extradicted to the United States after years of legal battles. ITV's Lucy Manning reports
He has also praised the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and was once a preacher at a North London mosque but was later convicted of inciting murder and racial hatred.
Al-Masri was indicted in 2004 by a federal grand jury in New York, accused of providing material support to al-Qaida and of involvement in a hostage-taking in Yemen in 1998 in which four hostages -- three Britons and one Australian -- were killed.
He was also accused of providing material support to al-Qaida by trying to set up a training camp for fighters in Oregon and of trying to organize support for the Taliban in Afghanistan.
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With allah on his side why should he be afraid to be deported to the USA? I am sure allah will help him strike down all the infidels once he is inside one of our prisons. A word of advice, don't get HOOKED on anything! I will be sure to keep an eye out for you!
Bring this S.O.B. on in. His buddy the blind Sheik needs a room mate or at least someone like himself in the cell next door. Pelican Bay is beautiful this time of year. To bad you will never see the sun again.
un come merda
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And I'll be praising a long conviction. Hope it's in solitary where his sick hatred won't be an influence.
As much as I appreciate the UK, it is technically a lame duck Theocracy considering that the head of state is a supreme religious sovereign. One religious loon wishing the punishment of another religious loon and sending him to the most religiously industrialized nation on earth.
Blah.
You forgot about the whole murder thing in 1998.
You can put a tin-foil hat on and listen for alien signals while camping out in the badlands, or you can become a religious monk and isolate yourself for your entire life. Who cares what others believe in?
But you can't kill people. Or incite hatred with the intention of killing.
Wha....? Atheist, please adjust your medication.
agreed.
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We have a nice concrete room for him in Florence, CO.
He can hang out there for the rest of his miserable life.
I don't understand
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Nbody says what it is........this snot-rag is a terrost....lets draw straws and see who gets to get rid of him! Nothing but another rodent.
Get his nasty butt back here an fry it. He was is and always will be a stinking terrorist scumbag.
Off to Gitmo with him to await his military trial....FOREVER!!!!
I am not a scholar of Islamic philosophy, but somewhere I remember either reading or hearing "All is as Allah wills it". If that is the case, well things have changed for Al-Masri (I'm not sure, but I suspect he doesn't go by "Al"). I also can't predict how his trial will go (but I'm betting he gets more than a fine and probation), but should he be convicted I suspect he'll be confined as a security risk and isolated from other inmates.
does anyone out there know...does Al-Masri have to fill out one of those Immigration Declarations before he de-planes and does he have a restriction on how much he bring into the country without paying taxes. I mean, he has problems enough, of course what does he care? What would they do...deport him?
he goes to colorado and he dissappears to never ever be heard from again. There is justice
Isn't it funny how some who commit crime of religous hatred and murder someone or cause the death will use laws to protect themselves from facing prosecution.Cruel and inhumane.Hmmmmmm.Sounds like a hypocrite to me. What happened to martyrdom?
Personally, I don't see where facing trial for crimes committed falls under inhumane and degrading treatment. What about the inhumane and degrading treatment meted out to the hostages in Yemen or the innocent victims of the World Trade Center???
BINGO!!!
I've wondered about that for many years. The leaders of these terrorist groups encourage the young in droves to sacrifice their precious lives but those like al-masri do not seem to be in such a hurry to get to their virgins.
This guy has a lot of nerve trying to hide behind human rights issues. The sooner the UK hands him over, the better off the world will be.
What is crazy is that this guy has spent a decade milking the legal system to escape the instant bucken justice he so richly deserves. The protracted appeals process is a perversion of justice.
okkkkkk
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what? I don't understand.
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What a bunch of phoneez. Dont even have the words democracy, vote or fair in their language but take advantage of every aspect of our vastly more advanced legal system. I wonder if this guy would appreciate a good stoning?
Better stone Obama to since he supports al-Qaeda. Thst is who he is supporting in Syria. Most of the so called Syrian rebels are actually al-Qaeda soldiers with US backing and US weapons
We are eagerly awaiting! The orange suits and dog cages are ready, we also have music!!! I bet none of them thought they'd get to experience American hospitality!!
Wow, this guy must have really run out of luck. Even the European Court of Human Rights is on the U.S. Government's side on this one. Maybe they can accidentally lock him in a steamer trunk and drop him in the ocean about halfway between Heathrow and Kennedy. Oops! Gee I don't know what happened. He was in the back of the plane when we took off.....
☺
Long live the QUEEN ! MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA, MAY ALLAH BLESS ENGLAND ! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!
I hope Guantánamo is ADA approved. This clown will get his food, shelter and health bill covered until he croaks of natural causes. Throw him out of the plane while crossing the Atlantic.
Send is ass to the USA...stinking SOB...put him in a container and drop his ass in the sea.. all of them muslim clerics too... or tar and feather him /them in public...
Obama is supporting al-Qaeda on the attack of Syria. Our government has been supporting them for years but yet is telling us how bad they are. Obama won't be happy until Saudia Arabia is running that whole area.
An eye for an eye, and a hook for a hand.
Now it's our turn ....
Get the little "jihad" needle ready people...
If we try him for supporting al-Qaeda them we better arrest Obama and Clinton since they are paying al-Qaeda to attack Syria. How can you prosecute someone for doing what you are doing. This just shows what kink of idiot ass holes we have running this government
There is only one God, Jesus Christ is his son! Welcome to Terre Haute, Federal prison! For breakfast tommorow. We are having, sausage, and eggs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ha ha! If you manage to die a horrible death BEFORE you're brutally gang raped guess Allah really does love you!