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| Radical preacher launches appeal | Radical preacher launches appeal |
| (3 days later) | |
| Radical preacher Abu Hamza al-Masri was found guilty because a fair trial was "impossible", a court has heard. | Radical preacher Abu Hamza al-Masri was found guilty because a fair trial was "impossible", a court has heard. |
| His lawyers told the Appeal Court his trial was prejudiced by "unique" global events and a media hate-campaign. | His lawyers told the Appeal Court his trial was prejudiced by "unique" global events and a media hate-campaign. |
| Abu Hamza, jailed for seven years in February, is appealing against his conviction for soliciting to murder and inciting racial hatred. | Abu Hamza, jailed for seven years in February, is appealing against his conviction for soliciting to murder and inciting racial hatred. |
| During the trial, prosecutors said Abu Hamza used a north London mosque to recruit people into Islamist extremism. | During the trial, prosecutors said Abu Hamza used a north London mosque to recruit people into Islamist extremism. |
| The Egyptian-born cleric, who is being held at Belmarsh high-security prison, was jailed after being found guilty of 11 out of 15 charges. | The Egyptian-born cleric, who is being held at Belmarsh high-security prison, was jailed after being found guilty of 11 out of 15 charges. |
| The charges related to what prosecutors said were a series of inflammatory speeches and recordings he made as a preacher at Finsbury Park mosque and other locations. | The charges related to what prosecutors said were a series of inflammatory speeches and recordings he made as a preacher at Finsbury Park mosque and other locations. |
| ABU HAMZA VERDICTS, FEB 2006 Guilty of 6 charges of soliciting to murder Guilty of 3 charges related to "stirring up racial hatred" Guilty of 1 charge of owning recordings related to "stirring up racial hatred" Guilty of 1 charge of possessing "terrorist encyclopaedia" Not guilty of 3 charges of soliciting to murder Not guilty of 1 charge related to "stirring up racial hatred" Profile: Abu Hamza | |
| Edward Fitzgerald QC, representing 48-year-old Abu Hamza, told the Court of Appeal it had been "unfair and oppressive" to launch a prosecution in 2004 over speeches made between 1997 and 2000. | Edward Fitzgerald QC, representing 48-year-old Abu Hamza, told the Court of Appeal it had been "unfair and oppressive" to launch a prosecution in 2004 over speeches made between 1997 and 2000. |
| Police had taken no action at the time, even though officers had taken away the recordings for analysis. | Police had taken no action at the time, even though officers had taken away the recordings for analysis. |
| The prosecution came amid a "relentless campaign of adverse media publicity condemning him as a preacher of hate and inciter of violence", said Mr Fitzgerald, some of it driven by the public battle led by the Home Secretary to strip Abu Hamza of his citizenship. | The prosecution came amid a "relentless campaign of adverse media publicity condemning him as a preacher of hate and inciter of violence", said Mr Fitzgerald, some of it driven by the public battle led by the Home Secretary to strip Abu Hamza of his citizenship. |
| This campaign, argued Mr Fitzgerald, combined with the unique events of the 9/11 attacks and subsequent 7 July 2005 London bombings had prejudiced the trial. | This campaign, argued Mr Fitzgerald, combined with the unique events of the 9/11 attacks and subsequent 7 July 2005 London bombings had prejudiced the trial. |
| "Inadmissible evidence relating to his alleged involvement in actual crimes of terrorism was relentlessly highlighted and referred to in public," said Mr Fitzgerald. | "Inadmissible evidence relating to his alleged involvement in actual crimes of terrorism was relentlessly highlighted and referred to in public," said Mr Fitzgerald. |
| "Because of the delay in prosecuting the appellant, the atmosphere had been poisoned against him in a way that would not have happened had he been subjected to a timely prosecution." | "Because of the delay in prosecuting the appellant, the atmosphere had been poisoned against him in a way that would not have happened had he been subjected to a timely prosecution." |
| Meetings with MI5 | Meetings with MI5 |
| During his month-long trial, Abu Hamza told the Old Bailey the speeches he was being prosecuted over had been well known to the authorities, including MI5. | During his month-long trial, Abu Hamza told the Old Bailey the speeches he was being prosecuted over had been well known to the authorities, including MI5. |
| Special Branch officers had seized the tapes from his home and he had held a series of discussions with the authorities about his views and intentions. | Special Branch officers had seized the tapes from his home and he had held a series of discussions with the authorities about his views and intentions. |
| The preacher said he had left those meetings believing he would not face prosecution, partly because police officers returned his recordings and other documents. | The preacher said he had left those meetings believing he would not face prosecution, partly because police officers returned his recordings and other documents. |
| However, prosecutors successfully argued he had used Finsbury Park mosque as a secure base from which he could act as a recruitment sergeant for global terrorism. | However, prosecutors successfully argued he had used Finsbury Park mosque as a secure base from which he could act as a recruitment sergeant for global terrorism. |
| Extradition battle | Extradition battle |
| They said he was preaching racial-hatred against Jews and other non-Muslims and had owned a multi-volume "terrorism manual" known as the Encyclopaedia of Afghan Jihad. This encyclopaedia, said Abu Hamza, was one of the documents that police gave back to him. | They said he was preaching racial-hatred against Jews and other non-Muslims and had owned a multi-volume "terrorism manual" known as the Encyclopaedia of Afghan Jihad. This encyclopaedia, said Abu Hamza, was one of the documents that police gave back to him. |
| The two-day appeal is being heard by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips, sitting with Mr Justice Penry-Davey and Mr Justice Pitchford, at London's Court of Appeal. | The two-day appeal is being heard by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips, sitting with Mr Justice Penry-Davey and Mr Justice Pitchford, at London's Court of Appeal. |
| Abu Hamza also faces a continuing battle against extradition to the United States to face allegations of trying to establish a terrorist training camp. | Abu Hamza also faces a continuing battle against extradition to the United States to face allegations of trying to establish a terrorist training camp. |
| The extradition attempt has been postponed until the outcome of the appeal, which continues on Tuesday. | The extradition attempt has been postponed until the outcome of the appeal, which continues on Tuesday. |