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| Britain |
| Yemen seeks to extradite Hamza |
| 2003-04-07 |
| Edited for length: Government attempts to strip the radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza of British citizenship took a new twist yesterday when it emerged that Yemen had requested his extradition on terrorism-related charges. The north London cleric is the first person to face losing his passport under the new Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act. But the test case will take months if not years to resolve. Mr Hamza, 44, insists he renounced his Egyptian nationality when he became a British citizen and therefore would be left stateless, breaching his human rights. According to the Press Association, Yemen's request includes documents alleging that Mr Hamza was connected to a 1998 kidnap by the so-called Islamic Army of Aden, which resulted in the deaths of four western tourists. The Yemeni government could not be contacted yesterday. Mr Hamza's solicitor Muddassar Arani said she had no evidence of the application. The outspoken cleric came to the UK from Egypt as a student in 1980, gaining citizenship through marriage. He was banned from speaking at Finsbury Park mosque, where he had been imam, after comments attacking Britain, the United States and Jews. If this has to go through the court system, he'll die of old age before they deport him. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 What's the matter, hook boy? Afraid of Islamic justice? I thought your people did everything better then the infidel? There's no way he could... ummmmmmmmm... fall in front of an Underground train? Or be hit by lighting? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-04-07 15:14:12 |
| #1 The Brits will have to struggle with the legal maze they created, but regardless, they need to tie him up to old age, if that's what it takes. Any thoughts, Bulldog? |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-04-07 15:00:19 |