Imam faces charges in US

2004-05-27 20:27

New York - Abu Hamza al-Masri, a British cleric detained in London on Thursday, faces 11 terrorism charges in the United States, including hostage taking, for which he could get a possible death sentence or life in prison, US authorities said.

Hamza is also accused of helping Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda group and the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

Hamza, who is known for his fiery sermons in a London mosque, was detained by London police acting on a US extradition request.

US Attorney General John Ashcroft said there was an 11-count indictment against Hamza which includes charges of hostage taking and conspiracy to take hostages in connection with an attack in Yemen in December 1998 that resulted in the death of four hostages.

Ashcroft said that militants in Yemen had stormed vehicles carrying 16 tourists, including two Americans, on December 28, 1998.

Hamza provided a satellite telephone to a faction of the Islamic Army of Aden group which carried out the hostage taking, the indictment alleges.

He received three calls from the satellite phone at his home on December 27.

The Yemen military tried to rescue the hostages on December 29, but Ashcroft said the militants used the tourists as shields and four were killed and others wounded.

Camp in Oregon

Hamza, whose real name is Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, is also accused of providing material support to terrorists, specifically to al-Qaeda, and attempting to set up a terrorist training camp in Bly, Oregon from October 1999 to early 2000.

The indictment also charges Hamza "with material support violations for facilitating violent jihad in Afghanistan" and conspiring to supply goods and services to the Taliban.

It said that in 2000, Hamza posted messages on a militant website urging followers to donate money and other help to Taliban programmes in Afghanistan.

Ashcroft said the maximum sentence for hostage taking was the death penalty or life in prison.

The maximum sentence for the additional charges was 100 years in jail.

Assistant Attorney General Christopher Wray said in a statement: "The indictment alleges that Abu Hamza was a terrorist facilitator with a global reach."

It added: "Those who support our terrorist enemies anywhere in the world must know that we will not rest until the threat they pose is eradicated."

Ashcroft said: "The investigation and today's arrest also received substantial assistance from the Metropolitan Police at New Scotland Yard and the Crown Prosecution Service in Great Britain.

"I thank them for their dedication and their ongoing efforts in the international war against terrorism."

- AFP