HOOK-handed hate cleric Abu Hamza has landed in the USA where he will face a
judge within 24 hours.
He was finally booted out of Britain across the Atlantic last night after an
eight-year legal battle.
The vile extremist lost a last-ditch bid against extradition to the US
yesterday — and left British soil on a jet bound for New York just before
midnight.
Hamza and four other terror suspects were sped away by police convoy from Long
Lartin Prison, Worcs, at 7.15pm.
The convoy, blue lights flashing, arrived at US Air Force base at RAF
Mildenhall, Suffolk, at 10.10pm. Paperwork was then completed and the group
handed to US marshals.
Two executive jets — a Gulfstream V owned by the US Department of Justice and
a privately-owned Dassault Falcon 900 — were waiting to fly the group across
the Atlantic.
The Gulfstream took off at 11.43pm followed by the Dassault Falcon five
minutes later.
Hamza, who was expected to spend the eight-hour flight in shackles, is due to
face terror charges that could see him sentenced to 99 years.
The US Attorney’s office has not confirmed he has arrived
The five men had sought High Court injunctions to prevent their departures.
But judges Sir John Thomas and Mr Justice Ousley yesterday declared at about
2.30pm that extradition “may proceed immediately”. They said they were
“wholly unconvinced” by Hamza’s claims he was not mentally fit enough to
plead in a US court. The judges also pointed out that the suspects had “long
ago exhausted” all the avenues available in Britain to avoid extradition.
Egyptian-born Hamza, 54, is wanted in the US over alleged links to the
kidnapping of 16 hostages, including two Americans, and a plot to set up a
terror training camp.
Hamza’s hate-filled rants as imam of the Finsbury Park Mosque in North London
sparked The Sun’s Sling Your Hook campaign in 2003. He cost taxpayers more
than £3.5million during his fight to dodge justice. He was jailed for seven
years in Britain for soliciting murder and inciting hatred. The other four
flown to the US were Babar Ahmad, Syed Talha Ahsan, Adel Abdul Bary and
Khaled al-Fawwaz.
Bary and al-Fawwaz were indicted for alleged involvement in bombings, Ahmad
and Ahsan are accused of using a website to support terror. Home Secretary
Theresa May said: “It is right these men will finally face justice.”
Scuffles broke out as pro and anti-extradition protesters clashed at the Royal
Courts of Justice in London yesterday.
Hooked at last
MAY 2004: Hamza arrested on a US extradition warrant over terror
charges in Yemen.
OCT: Charged here with 15 Terrorism Act offences.
FEB 2006: Guilty on 11 charges. Jailed seven years.
NOV: Appeal against the convictions dismissed.
NOV 2007: Loses legal arguments against extradition.
FEB 2008: Home Secretary signs extradition order.
AUG: European Court of Human Rights halts it.
FEB 2010: His house in Greenford, West London, seized to pay legal aid
bills.
APRIL 2012: Euro judges rule extradition is lawful.
JULY: He appeals against the Euro ruling.
SEPT: Last-ditch appeal in High Court.
OCT: Lawyers say he is too ill to go and face trial in US.
YESTERDAY: High Court rules against him — and he’s off.
