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Abu Hamza found guilty of terror charges in US court Abu Hamza: Home Secretary Theresa May hails guilty verdict
(about 7 hours later)
Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza has been found guilty by a New York court of supporting terrorism. The home secretary has hailed the verdict of a New York court which found radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri guilty of supporting terrorism.
He was accused of conspiring to aid terrorist organisations. Theresa May said the conviction followed "this government's tireless work to successfully remove him from the UK to face trial."
The court heard the 56-year-old aided the kidnappers of 16 tourists in Yemen in 1998 and attempted to build a terror training camp in Oregon in the US. Abu Hamza, 56, came to prominence in the UK for his fiery sermons at the Finsbury Park mosque in North London.
The cleric, who was extradited from the UK in 2012 after an eight-year legal battle, denied all the charges. He now faces a possible life sentence. The court heard he aided the kidnappers of 16 tourists in Yemen in 1998.
He was also accused of attempting to build a terror training camp in Oregon in the north-western US.
He showed little emotion in court as the verdict was read out, only answering "yes" when his lawyer asked if he was OK.He showed little emotion in court as the verdict was read out, only answering "yes" when his lawyer asked if he was OK.
Abu Hamza came to prominence in the UK for his fiery sermons outside Finsbury Park mosque; in one he praised the 11 September hijackers. He was extradited from the UK after having been jailed for seven years for inciting murder and racial hatred.
He was extradited after having been jailed for seven years in the UK for inciting murder and race hate.
In New York the jury of eight men and four women reached a unanimous guilty verdict on all 11 terror charges.In New York the jury of eight men and four women reached a unanimous guilty verdict on all 11 terror charges.
Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara said: "The defendant stands convicted, not for what he said, but for what he did.Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara said: "The defendant stands convicted, not for what he said, but for what he did.
"Abu Hamza was not just a preacher of faith, but a trainer of terrorists."Abu Hamza was not just a preacher of faith, but a trainer of terrorists.
"Once again our civilian system of justice has proven itself up to the task of trying an accused terrorist and arriving at a fair and just and swift result.""Once again our civilian system of justice has proven itself up to the task of trying an accused terrorist and arriving at a fair and just and swift result."
Reacting to the verdict, Home Secretary Theresa May said: "I am pleased that Abu Hamza has finally faced justice. He used every opportunity, over many years, to frustrate and delay the extradition process." Reacting to the verdict, Mrs May said: "I am pleased that Abu Hamza has finally faced justice. He used every opportunity, over many years, to frustrate and delay the extradition process."
'Religious war''Religious war'
Abu Hamza was arrested in May 2004 on a US arrest warrant.Abu Hamza was arrested in May 2004 on a US arrest warrant.
The 11 charges against him included allegations that he arranged satellite communications for a group of kidnappers in Yemen who carried out a deadly attack in which four hostages were killed.The 11 charges against him included allegations that he arranged satellite communications for a group of kidnappers in Yemen who carried out a deadly attack in which four hostages were killed.
He was eventually also found guilty of conspiring in 1999-2000 to establish an al-Qaeda training camp in Bly, Oregon, among other acts.He was eventually also found guilty of conspiring in 1999-2000 to establish an al-Qaeda training camp in Bly, Oregon, among other acts.
He was convicted of various crimes including hostage taking, conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, and abetting religious war in Afghanistan.He was convicted of various crimes including hostage taking, conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, and abetting religious war in Afghanistan.
His defence team said he would appeal, claiming that too much weight had been given to comments he had made on unrelated matters.His defence team said he would appeal, claiming that too much weight had been given to comments he had made on unrelated matters.
"Bin Laden, al-Qaeda, 9/11, World Trade Centre, USS Cole - all those things which our client was not charged with specifically, they played much more of a role than we believe it should have," Jeremy Schneider said outside court. "Bin Laden, al-Qaeda, 9/11, World Trade Centre, USS Cole - all those things which our client was not charged with specifically, they played much more of a role than we believe it should have," his lawyer Jeremy Schneider said outside court.
'Helped MI5''Helped MI5'
Born Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, Abu Hamza al-Masri's came to Britain from Egypt in 1979. Before gaining notoriety as an Islamist, he had worked at a strip club in London's Soho. Born Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, Abu Hamza al-Masri came to Britain from Egypt in 1979. Before gaining notoriety as an Islamist, he had worked at a strip club in London's Soho.
He said he lost an eye and both his hands - not, as he had previously claimed, from fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan - but during an accident in Pakistan when liquid explosives intended for use in a road construction project went off by mistake. He told the court he lost an eye and both his hands - not, as he had previously claimed, from fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan - but during an accident in Pakistan when liquid explosives intended for use in a road construction project went off by mistake.
It was after this that he began wearing a hook in place of his hands which, along with his missing eye, made him a distinctive figure among British Islamists.It was after this that he began wearing a hook in place of his hands which, along with his missing eye, made him a distinctive figure among British Islamists.
The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner said he was ousted from Finsbury Park mosque where he had been an "extremist imam" but was allowed to continue preaching.The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner said he was ousted from Finsbury Park mosque where he had been an "extremist imam" but was allowed to continue preaching.
His defence claimed in the trial that he had assisted MI5 "to keep the streets of London safe".His defence claimed in the trial that he had assisted MI5 "to keep the streets of London safe".
But the prosecution portrayed him as a terrorism boss, recruiting and despatching young men on missions around the world.But the prosecution portrayed him as a terrorism boss, recruiting and despatching young men on missions around the world.
They said the calm figure who had appeared during the trial was a fraud.They said the calm figure who had appeared during the trial was a fraud.
He is due to be sentenced on 9 September.He is due to be sentenced on 9 September.