| Submit your comments on this article |
| Britain |
| Hooks Hamza loses US extradition appeal |
| 2008-06-20 |
| Looking at 100 yr. bid in Supermax Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza lost his High Court battle today against extradition to the United States where he faces a potential jail sentence of 100 years. That'll give him plenty of time to learn to wipe his ass with those hooks. The decision means the hook-handed fanatic can be sent across the Atlantic to face terror charges and is likely to spend the rest of his natural life locked up for 23 hours a day in a "super-maximum" security jail in Colorado. Two High Court judges sitting in London ruled that the decision to extradite Hamza was "unassailable" but they also gave his lawyers 14 days to apply for leave to make a last ditch appeal to the House of Lords, the highest court in the land. Ultimately, he could delay the move further by taking his case to the European Court of Human Rights Followed by the appeal to Meepzor, All Knowing Oracle of the Galaxy... Hamza was the first person to be arrested under a new, streamlined Anglo-American extradition treaty in 2004. Four years later he has still not been successfully extradited but the latest ruling brought that much closer. 4 years? They consider that "streamlined"? The latest failed four-day appeal at the High Court added another estimated £100,000 to an already spiralling legal bill for taxpayers. Ah, that infidel dime... Hamza, 50, from west London, who is fitted with hooks on both his partially-amputated arms, is currently in Belmarsh prison in London serving a seven-year jail term imposed by a British court for stirring up racial hatred and inciting his followers to murder non-believers. US authorities want him to stand trial there on up to 11 terrorism charges including sending money and recruits to assist al-Qa'eda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. They allege that Hamza was involved in a global conspiracy to wage jihad against the US and other western countries. Among the most serious accusations is one that he was involved in the kidnap by Islamic radicals of 16 tourists in the Yemen in 1998. Four hostages, including three Britons, died in a rescue attempt. Hamza allegedly bought the kidnappers a satellite phone and gave them advice and assistance. US authorities also claim that he tried to set up a terrorist training camp in Bly, Oregon between 1999 and 2000. At the High Court in London Sir Igor Judge and Mr Justice Sullivan dismissed his appeal against extradition. Cherrio! Enjoy the trip across the pond. Hamza's lawyers had argued that extradition is unlawful because evidence gained from others by torture would be used against him. That would violate Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights which guarantees the right to a fair trial, they said. They also contended that it would be "unjust and oppressive" to extradite Hamza because so many years had passed since the alleged offences. Can't we just...move on? London's City of Westminster Magistrates Court had previously ruled he could be extradited and in February this year Home Secretary Jacqui Smith gave her approval. The July 7 London bombers were among those inspired by Hamza's sermons and the would-be bombers of July 21 were regular worshippers at Finsbury Park mosque in north London where he was formerly the imam. In 2003 he was dismissed from his position there after making inflammatory speeches. Sorry, Abu. We gotta let you go. No..it's not because of the hooks. Really. Hamza, who was born Mostafa Kamel Mostafa in Alexandria, Egypt, worked as a nightclub bouncer in London before marrying a British woman, fathering seven children and becoming a radical preacher. He lost both his hands and one eye in Afghanistan in the 1990s. Okay, boys, now I'm gonna juggle five grenades! He was arrested on the US charges in May 2004 but subsequently charged by British prosecutors and tried for incitement to murder at the Old Bailey where he was jailed for seven years. Hamza followed the appeal proceedings through a video link from Belmarsh where he is said to be in poor health with diabetes and raised blood pressure. Quit whining, ya bitch. In the US he faces life locked up in a 48 sq ft by 80 sq ft cell which he claims is also a breach of his human rights. How about a six foot deep hole in the ground? |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #11 Looks Like Dave D is baaaaccckk |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-06-20 22:49 |
| #10 Hummm.... sounds more like Tu is a madeMan now, congrats! Nope. Only Ethyl, the Keeper of the Pills, gets a gander at the books. |
| Posted by: badanov 2008-06-20 22:47 |
| #9 I went fishing Monday, drove by Supermax on the way. Every time I see that place, I get cold chills. "Breaking out" is not only unfeasible, but once you're out, you've got to traverse at least three miles of open ground that primarily grows cactus, yucca, and wire grass - nothing over three feet high. Lots of snakes and scorpions and nasty as HE$$ neighbors. Oh, and one of the three Colorado Veterans Homes is just a mile on the other side of the main road. The weather is hotter than a blast furnace in the summer, colder than a witch's heart in the winter. Yeah, I'm sure ol' Abu Hasma will LOVE the place. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2008-06-20 22:06 |
| #8 Hummm.... sounds more like Tu is a madeMan now, congrats! |
| Posted by: HalfEmpty 2008-06-20 20:01 |
| #7 Holy Damn Moley... It's the baby-shessie guy ! Whoooooooooooooooooooa! YES! |
| Posted by: HalfEmpty 2008-06-20 19:58 |
| #6 If the Brits had any balls left, they'd have treated him like this: "And if I fall to your hands again, I give you leave for the sin; To cram my mouth with the foul pig's flesh and swing me in the skin." In Kipling's day the Brits knew how to handle Muzzies. |
| Posted by: Thaimble Scourge of the Pixies4707 2008-06-20 19:26 |
| #5 "Ultimately, he could delay the move further by taking his case to the European Court of Human Rights." We'll all die of old age before that crew cuts him loose. |
| Posted by: Glusogum Turkeyneck2738 2008-06-20 18:44 |
| #4 nobody "thrives" in Supermax |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-06-20 18:14 |
| #3 Come to Poppa.... |
| Posted by: mojo 2008-06-20 17:52 |
| #2 If and when he gets extradited, can't he just be dropped off the boat or out of the plane over the Atlantic. If he does end up in Supermax, he will most likely be fitted with prosthetic arms instead of hooks. He will get muslim treatment such as they get in Gitmo. Probably gain weight. He will most likely thrive in this environment all at the taxpayers expense. Maybe it would be better for us if he were put in some prison in the general population--perhaps he would then get justice--a shank in the ribs. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2008-06-20 17:17 |
| #1 They also contended that it would be 'unjust and oppressive' to extradite Hamza because so many years had passed since the alleged offences. Of course, the reason so much time has passed is that he has spent so much time fighting the extradition. He can also hope for an executive pardon from President Obama. |
| Posted by: Rambler in California 2008-06-20 16:32 |