Live streams

Abu Hamza Extradition From Britain to Go Ahead

Police officers scuffle with demonstrators during a protest in support of Islamist cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, during his appeal against extradition to the U.S., outside the High Court in London, October 5, 2012.

TEXT SIZE - +

Selah Hennessy

October 05, 2012

LONDON —

Muslim cleric, Abu Hamza al-Masri, leads prayers at the North London Central Mosque in Finsbury Park in this February 7, 2003 photograph.

Five men, including Islamist cleric Abu Hamza, are to be extradited from Britain to face terror charges in the United States. On Friday the High Court in London rejected the men’s last-minute appeal to block their removal.

Friday’s decision brings a drawn-out eight-year legal battle to an end.

The most high-profile of the five is Abu Hamza, an Egyptian-born former imam, who uses a distinctive hook in place of his right hand. He is wanted in the United States on a number of charges, including attempting to set up a training camp for militants in the northwest state of Oregon and helped al-Qaida seize hostages in Yemen.

His lawyer had argued that Hamza needed a brain scan before extradition should go ahead.

Two of the men, Khaled al-Fawwaz and Adel Abdul Bary are accused of playing a role in the 1998 bombing of two U.S. embassies in east Africa.

Babar Ahmad and Syed Ahsan are wanted on charges of running a website that encouraged terrorism. The website was run out of London but hosted in the U.S.

Ahmad’s father Ashfaq spoke outside the courthouse Friday. He said he felt let down by one of the world’s oldest democracies.

"All the evidence against him was available in this country here so I can't understand why at he should have been sent there. He should have been tried here and that is my main message," he said.

Britain’s Home Office welcomed the court’s decision and said it’s working to extradite the men as soon as possible.

The U.S. Embassy in London said it was “pleased” with the decision.

Roger Smith, director of Justice, a British human rights organization, says the extraditions have created some controversy in Britain, in part because of the U.S. prison system.

The five men are to be sent to a so-called "supermax" prison in the state of Colorado, where the country’s most notorious terrorists are often sent.

"One of the issues in this case was whether it was acceptable for the U.K. to send someone to the U.S. when they would be put in a supermax prison and subjected to conditions which to European eyes are frankly just not acceptable," said Smith.

The European Human Rights Court ruled that the five men would not recieve "ill treatment" in super-maximum security prisons.

Smith says another concern in Britain is that there is an imbalance in the extradition agreement between Britain and the United States.

"We interpret it as meaning automatic extradition of people requested by the U.S. and the U.S. has a provision in its constitution which requires the proof of probable cause before someone is extradited. So it is often said that we need to re-balance the agreement," he said.

The five men are expected to be flown to the United States immediately.

You May Like

Activists wearing orange jumpsuits mark the 100th day of prisoners

Experts Weigh In on Challenges of Closing Guantanamo Prison

Former chief military prosecutor at Guantanamo delivers petition to White House with more than 370,000 signatures, demanding facility be closed down immediately More

Afghan President Hamid Karzai receives an honorary degree from his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, second right, at the Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, India, May 20, 2013.

Karzai to Discuss Enhancing Defense Ties with India

Afghanistan looking for more military aid as it prepares for withdrawal of NATO forces by next year More

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) speaks with the media as India

India, China Pledge to Overcome Border Tensions

Indian prime minister and Chinese premier attempt to move past tense standoff in the Himalayas during Delhi talks More

Burmese president Thein Sein took part in a town hall meeting at VOA in Washington, DC, May 19, 2013. (Alison Klein for VOA)

Burmese President Opens US Visit with VOA Town Hall Meeting

Ahead of his meeting with President Obama Monday, Thein Sein answered questions on human rights and economic development in his country More

This forum has been closed.

Comment Sorting

Comments

by: Dr. Malek Muhammad Towghi from: USA

October 05, 2012 7:34 PM

Report Comment

President Obama, Please, Keep them all, Abu Hamza & Co., in Gitmo. By the way, "nikos from NY", You are talking nonsense. We love our president, President Barack Obama, and will elect him for FOUR MORE YEARS. Sorry ! you will have to pay a little bit more taxes for enjoying the citizenship of this great country IF among the top-one-percent ! Peace.

by: Harbinger from: UK

October 05, 2012 4:49 PM

Report Comment

amazing how short an interval of time it was from the declaration of an "open society" to a Muslim conquest of Britain... we feel besieged in our own country... the concentrated depravity of Islam permeates throughout our society... what can we do to save our country???

by: Ed from: Seattle, WA

October 05, 2012 4:10 PM

Report Comment

Republicans hate to see it, but yet another success for President Obama. He is on a roll lately.

by: Rob Swift from: United Kingdom

October 05, 2012 4:04 PM

Report Comment

Mr Hamza is certainly not a proper moslem. Everything he does is a violation of the Koran. He is a man of violence only.

by: dogbreath from: California

October 05, 2012 3:49 PM

Report Comment

If Romney is elected the Republicans can lie to us, invade the wrong country, get us in two protracted and expensive wars, crash the economy, dump the mess in the lap of the next president, and then try to block every attempt to remedy the mess they create. Must sound good to you nikos.

by: KMcK from: NYC

October 05, 2012 3:42 PM

Report Comment

It is a tragedy US tax dollars will be used to feed, bath and cloth this animal, and the like, for the rest of his life. As a democracy I believe that "We the people..." should have a say/vote as to what the terrorists' fate will be once they are extradited. It is likely they would be justifiably treated as mercilessly as they treated the innocents slaughtered on 9/11....let's take a vote!

by: Cleanup Philly from: Philly

October 05, 2012 3:19 PM

Report Comment

Welcome to freedom, hook boy. Not your own.

Don't worry, after Romney gets elected, they'll get the full due process of law.

by: nikos from: NY

October 05, 2012 1:27 PM

Report Comment

Have no fear, Obama will take good care of him, I think he is already writing his apology letters for this to the Muslims of the world- apologizing for arresting this man of peace, tolerance and love.

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.

Video

US Oil Surge Could Impact Mideast Geopolitics

The United States will account for a third of new oil supplies over the next five years, and will become energy self-sufficient in 20 years, according to a new report by the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA). Although U.S. oil imports from Arab Gulf countries increased last year, analysts predict the U.S. will lose its dependence on Middle East imports, which is expected to have a huge impact on international relations and the balance of power. VOA's Henry Ridgewell reports.