Radical preacher Abu Hamza set for US extradition Radical Islamist preacher Abu Hamza and four other men have lost their extradition appeal from the United Kingdom to the United States. The five men face terrorism charges in the United States, where they will be tried at a later date. Judge John Thomas said at the High Court: “their extradition to the United States of America may proceed immediately.”
The five men will be extradited to the United Sates “as quickly as possible” according to a statement from the Home Office.
It has been reported that two US jets are waiting for the five men in Eastern England.
Abu Hamza, a former imam, contested the extradition in order to undergo medical tests in the United Kingdom to establish if he is fit to face trial. This plea was rejected by two judges.
The four other terror suspects Khaled al-Fawwaz, Syed Tahla Ahsan, Adel Abdul Bary and Babar Ahmed were also refused the right to stay in the country.
The British government accused the men of trying to delay their extradition.
Hamza was put in jail eight years ago for inciting hatred in his sermons between 1997 and 2000.
Fawwaz and Bary have been held behind bars since 1999 without trial. Ahmed has been in custody since 2004 without trial either. Ashan has been detained since 2006.
Ahmed and Ashan have been accused of running pro-Jihad websites.
In the United States, Abu Hamza is accused of financially supporting the Talibans, participating in a kidnapping in Yemen in 1998 where four hostages were killed. He is also accused of setting up a terrorist training camp in Oregon in 1999 and 2000.
The former imam has delayed his extradition for years through numerous court cases claiming the prison conditions in the US would be inhumane. His lawyers argued Hamza cannot face trial because of his deteriorating health condition.