Request by United States for extradition of Abu Hamza

27/05/2004

Abu Hamza appeared this afternoon before Senior District Judge Workman of Bow St Magistrates' Court, sitting at Belmarsh Magistrates' Court, in connection with a request from the United States of America for his extradition.

He was charged with the following:

1. Abu Hamza, between 23rd December 1998 and 29th December 1998, conspired with others to take hostages in Yemen.
2. Abu Hamza, between 23rd December 1998 and 29th December 1998, did aid, abet, counsel and procure Abu Hassan and others to commit the offence of hostage-taking in Yemen.
3. Abu Hamza, between 1st October 1999 and 30th April 2000, conspired with others to control and manage an association of persons in Bly, Oregon, who would be organised and trained, or organised and equipped for the purpose of enabling them to be employed for the use or display of physical force in promoting a political object, namely to make hijrah to, and to fight jihad in, Afghanistan.
4. Abu Hamza, between 1st October 1999 and 30th April 2000, conspired with others to control and manage an association of persons in Bly, Oregon, who would be organised and trained, or organised and equipped in such manner as to arouse reasonable apprehension that they were organised and either trained or equipped for the purpose of enabling them to be employed for the use or display of physical force in promoting a political object, namely to make hijrah to, and to fight jihad in, Afghanistan.
5. Abu Hamza, between 1st October 1999 and 30th April 2000, conspired with others to have with them firearms in Bly, Oregon, with intent to commit one or more indictable offences: Unlawful drilling; Prohibition of quasi-military organisations; Possession of explosives under suspicious circumstances; Enlistment in the service of a foreign state.
6. Abu Hamza, between 1st October 1999 and 30th April 2000, conspired with others to use or have possession of property, namely a training camp and equipment, intending that it shall be applied or used for the commission of, or in furtherance of or in connection with, acts of terrorism, namely the fighting of jihad in Afghanistan
7. Abu Hamza, between 1st October 1999 and 31st December 1999, gave, lent or otherwise made available to another money, namely four thousand pounds, knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect that it would be applied or used for the commission of, or in furtherance of or in connection with, acts of terrorism, namely the fighting of jihad in Afghanistan.
8. Abu Hamza, between 1st June 2000 and 19th December 2001, conspired with others to give, lend or otherwise make available money including travel expenses for persons to attend Afghanistan, and other property including a letter of introduction to a high ranking member of the Taliban, knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect that it would be applied or used for the commission of, or in furtherance of or in connection with, acts of terrorism, namely attendance and terrorist activities at an al Qaeda terrorist training camp and elsewhere in Afghanistan involving the use and possession of light weaponry, machine guns, explosives, detonators, mines, anti-aircraft weapons and the planning of bombings, hostage taking and suicide bombing.
9. Abu Hamza, between 1st March and 30th April 2001, conspired with others to invite CC-2 to receive instruction and training in the use of firearms and explosives in Afghanistan.

All within the jurisdiction of the USA.

Notes to Editors

1. As in all court cases, the charges may be subject to change.
2. Abu Hamza was arrested at approximately 3 am today by officers from the Metropolitan Police Extradition and International Assistance Unit.
3. In extradition cases the Crown Prosecution Service does not act in its usual role as a prosecuting authority. It acts as the representative in the UK courts of the requesting judicial authority (in this case the United States of America).