UK Court OKs Extradition of Cleric
Legal World
Radical cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri can be extradited to the United States to face trial on charges of supporting terrorism, a British court ruled Thursday.
Al-Masri has been charged with trying to establish a terrorist training camp in Oregon, conspiring to take hostages in Yemen and facilitating terrorist training in Afghanistan.
He is already serving a seven-year sentence in Britain for fomenting racial hatred and urging his followers to kill non-Muslims.
Senior District Judge Timothy Workman, presiding at City of Westminster Magistrates Court, said the case would now be referred to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith for a final decision.
Smith has two months to decide whether to surrender Al-Masri to the U.S. If she decides to hand the cleric over, he can then appeal to Britain's High Court, the House of Lords and the European Court of Human Rights.
Al-Masri, who lost both arms below the elbows and an eye fighting the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, was arrested on a U.S. extradition warrant in May 2004, but the process was put on hold while he stood trial in Britain and then appealed his convictions.
In January, the House of Lords denied al-Masri permission to make further appeals, clearing the way for extradition proceedings.
Related listings
-
Prosecutor Tries to Ban Kurdish Party
Legal World 11/16/2007Turkish authorities on Friday took steps to ban the country's leading pro-Kurdish political party and expel several of its lawmakers from parliament on charges of separatism.The Democratic Society Party, which won 20 seats in parliament in July, last...
-
EU consumer laws won't go US route
Legal World 11/13/2007AMERICAN-STYLE class action lawsuits are not on the agenda in Europe, ministers have promised. The European Union's consumer chief dismissed fears she intends to introduce US-style class action lawsuits to member states next year as part of her strat...
-
Whistleblowers Pop Up As Japan Changes
Legal World 11/12/2007When officer Toshiro Semba revealed his bosses in the police department were forging receipts to wine and dine on the public's money, they took his gun away.He was decreed too emotionally unstable to carry a weapon _ a humiliation, he says, designed ...
New York Commercial Litigation Law Firm - Woods Lonergan PLLC
Founded in 1993 by Managing Partner James F. Woods, Woods Lonergan PLLC has built a strong reputation as a resourceful and industrious firm that provides clients with clear, concise, and straightforward answers to their most challenging legal issues. Partner Lawrence R. Lonergan, who joined the firm in 2008, has been a friend and colleague to Mr. Woods for over 40 years and shares the same business philosophy. Woods Lonergan PLLC’s collective experience and expertise enables the firm to expeditiously and effectively analyze the increasing challenges clients face in an evolving business and legal world, in many instances, avoiding unnecessary time and expense to our clients. Our mission is simple: provide cutting-edge expertise and sound advice in select areas of the law for corporate and business clients. We thrive on providing each client with personalized attention, forceful representation, and a collaborative team effort that embraces collective knowledge.