UK court upholds Masri extradition
Abu Hamza al-Masri will face terrorism charges in America, a high court rules.
Al-Masri, 51, who says he lost his hands and the sight of one eye in Afghanistan, once led Finsbury Park mosque in London.
British counter-terrorism officials say the mosque has attracted extremists.
Its worshippers have included Zacarias Moussaoui, a September 11 conspirator, and the ‘shoe bomber’ Richard Reid.
The Egyptian-born al-Masri, listed in court documents under the name
Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, was arrested in Britain on an extradition warrant in 2004, but the process was put on hold while he stood trial in Britain.
If convicted in the United States, Al-Masri would serve out his sentence
in Britain first.
US officials allege he conspired to establish a militant training camp in Oregon and sent two supporters to view facilities there.
They also say al-Masri took part in a hostage-taking incident in
Yemen in 1998 involving 16 tourists.
Three British tourists and one Australian visitor were killed in a shootout between Yemeni security forces and the captors.
Al-Masri also is accused of facilitating terrorist training in Afghanistan.
After he was expelled from the mosque by administrators in 2003, he led
Friday prayers on the street outside until his arrest the next year.