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| Abu Hamza denies Yemen kidnapping role as New York terror trial continues | Abu Hamza denies Yemen kidnapping role as New York terror trial continues |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Abu Hamza al-Masri, the Islamist cleric extradited from Britain to the US on terror charges, on Monday claimed he was merely the mouthpiece of rebel soldiers planning a coup to overthrow the Yemeni president, and played no part in the kidnapping of tourists in 1998. | Abu Hamza al-Masri, the Islamist cleric extradited from Britain to the US on terror charges, on Monday claimed he was merely the mouthpiece of rebel soldiers planning a coup to overthrow the Yemeni president, and played no part in the kidnapping of tourists in 1998. |
| In his third day of testimony in his New York trial, Hamza compared himself to Gerry Adams, the leader of the Irish political party Sinn Fein. | |
| “I was acting as a mouthpiece, like Gerry Adams” he said. “And like Gerry Adams, of the IRA, you can't afford to do anything that is not legal and transparent.” | “I was acting as a mouthpiece, like Gerry Adams” he said. “And like Gerry Adams, of the IRA, you can't afford to do anything that is not legal and transparent.” |
| Hamza, the former imam of Finsbury Park mosque in North London, is charged with 11 criminal counts, including securing a satellite phone for hostage takers in a kidnapping in Yemen in which three Britons and an Australian were killed in 1998. | Hamza, the former imam of Finsbury Park mosque in North London, is charged with 11 criminal counts, including securing a satellite phone for hostage takers in a kidnapping in Yemen in which three Britons and an Australian were killed in 1998. |
| The court heard how Hamza, 56, whose real name is Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, was called by the kidnappers three-and-a-half hours after the hostages were taken, spoke to the lead kidnapper and then contacted journalists. | The court heard how Hamza, 56, whose real name is Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, was called by the kidnappers three-and-a-half hours after the hostages were taken, spoke to the lead kidnapper and then contacted journalists. |
| Hamza, white-haired and wearing blue T-shirt, told the court he provided a satellite phone for the rebel soldiers but felt “angry and betrayed” when he was informed about the hostage-taking in Yemen. | |
| “I had a big mix of emotions, a lot of things went through my mind, a can of worms,” said Hamza, who lost his hands after what he has said was an accidental explosion in Pakistan. | “I had a big mix of emotions, a lot of things went through my mind, a can of worms,” said Hamza, who lost his hands after what he has said was an accidental explosion in Pakistan. |
| “I felt angry and I felt betrayed because of the ignorance of the people. They cannot focus on the cause. I did not have control of things.” | “I felt angry and I felt betrayed because of the ignorance of the people. They cannot focus on the cause. I did not have control of things.” |
| Abu Hassan, the head of the kidnappers, was “not visualising the real situation”, Hamza said. He said that the Yemeni government knew “exactly where he was” and there were also SAS special forces in the area. | Abu Hassan, the head of the kidnappers, was “not visualising the real situation”, Hamza said. He said that the Yemeni government knew “exactly where he was” and there were also SAS special forces in the area. |
| “They will finish him even if they finish the whole tourists with him,” Hamza said. | “They will finish him even if they finish the whole tourists with him,” Hamza said. |
| Hamza said he agreed to become the mouthpiece for Hassan in Yemen because Osama bin Laden had left a vacuum in the area, through his reluctance to get involved in the struggle against the government, and because Hamza had access to the media and to Islamic organisations. | |
| Hamza admitted buying a satellite phone, which he sent to an operator in Yemen with his stepson and another man. He claimed it was for use in mountainous regions, for those involved in resistance against then-president Ali Abdullah Saleh. | |
| He said that when he found out about the kidnapping he tried to raise the alarm, offered to negotiate and tried to ensure that the rebels allowed the hostages access to telephones and to inform their embassies. | He said that when he found out about the kidnapping he tried to raise the alarm, offered to negotiate and tried to ensure that the rebels allowed the hostages access to telephones and to inform their embassies. |
| “I was trying to make sure that the government of Yemen did not do anything undesirable and to let the tourists talk to their families,” he said. | “I was trying to make sure that the government of Yemen did not do anything undesirable and to let the tourists talk to their families,” he said. |
| Hamza said he told Abu Hassan he had a "duty to protect the Muslims you have around you", and added that he produced a statement quickly in Arabic and sent it to journalists at the Al-Hayat Arabic newspaper in time for a 3.30pm printing deadline. | |
| Earlier, Mary Quinn, a witness in the kidnapping who interviewed Hamza about it in London in 2000 at a Finsbury Park mosque, gave evidence. In taped excerpts of the interview played to the court, Hamza told Quinn the hostage-taking was justified "Islamically" and that it was intended to help secure the release of "my people". | |
| Joshua Dratel, Hamza's defence counsel, asked him what he meant by the phrase “let my people go”. Hamza replied that he was speaking on behalf of Hassan and explained that in Arabic, people remove words that are unnecessary. | Joshua Dratel, Hamza's defence counsel, asked him what he meant by the phrase “let my people go”. Hamza replied that he was speaking on behalf of Hassan and explained that in Arabic, people remove words that are unnecessary. |
| Hamza is charged with counts including setting up training camps in Bly, Oregon, 15 years ago, and advocating jihad in Afghanistan. He denies all the charges and faces life in prison if convicted. | Hamza is charged with counts including setting up training camps in Bly, Oregon, 15 years ago, and advocating jihad in Afghanistan. He denies all the charges and faces life in prison if convicted. |
| Hamza was jailed in the UK in 2006, for inciting racial hatred and soliciting murder. He was extradited to the US in 2012. | Hamza was jailed in the UK in 2006, for inciting racial hatred and soliciting murder. He was extradited to the US in 2012. |
| Hamza said that on the day before the kidnapping he received a call from Hassan, who was angry about “a lot of things" happening in Yemen – such as houses being raided, people being attacked and women being taken away and imprisoned. | Hamza said that on the day before the kidnapping he received a call from Hassan, who was angry about “a lot of things" happening in Yemen – such as houses being raided, people being attacked and women being taken away and imprisoned. |
| Hassan asked him to put out a statement to the media, Hamza said. He said he told Hassan he could not make a statement but would "blow it up" if he sent him one. | Hassan asked him to put out a statement to the media, Hamza said. He said he told Hassan he could not make a statement but would "blow it up" if he sent him one. |
| Hamza said he told Hassan to keep his focus on the longer term. | Hamza said he told Hassan to keep his focus on the longer term. |
| "I said to him: 'Focus on what you want, you want an Islamic state, you should not be jumpy.'" | |
| Asked by Dratel if there was "any discussion of the kidnapping", Hamza replied: "No, certainly no." | Asked by Dratel if there was "any discussion of the kidnapping", Hamza replied: "No, certainly no." |