UK: Cleric faces 16 charges

2004-10-19 14:23

London - Radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, wanted by the United States on allegations of terrorism, was charged by a British court on Tuesday with 16 offences including 10 of incitement to murder.

Hamza, 47, an Egyptian-born British national, was also charged with four counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour with intent to stir up racial hatred, one of possessing threatening, abusive or insulting sound recordings and one charge of possessing a terrorist document.

These are likely to take precedence over any US proceedings, meaning Hamza will not be extradited to the United States, as requested by US judicial authorities, before the British case is completed.

- AFP