(KUNA) -- A man accused of being linked to the September 11 attacks in the United States was extradited from the UK to Spain Friday, Scotland Yard said. Farid Hilali, 39, a Moroccan, was flown out of the Royal Air Force base of Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, southern England. The extradition was in connection with a European arrest warrant alleging he committed terrorist offences, a Scotland Yard spokesman said.Last week the House of Lords overturned a court order for Hilali's release. The House of Lords is the highest court in the land.
In April last year lawyers for Hilali, who was first arrested in London in 2003, were granted a writ by High Court judges to obtain his release. He was awaiting extradition to Spain on charges of conspiracy to murder. But the House of Lords allowed an appeal by the Spanish authorities against the High Court ruling. They affirmed the June 2005 decision of a senior judge to order Hilali's extradition.
Lord Hope, announcing the decision on January 30, said the "offences of conspiracy to commit the offence of murder of persons in the United States and of destroying, damaging or endangering the safety of aircraft... are the only offences in respect of which he is to be extradited". Setting aside the High Court's order, Lord Hope said there was "no reason whatever" to believe Hilali would not have a fair trial.