This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/14/abu-hamza-testify-new-york-terrorism-trial-jury-selection

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Abu Hamza to testify in New York terrorism trial as jury selection begins Abu Hamza to testify in New York terrorism trial as jury selection begins
(4 months later)
Jury selection began amid tight security in a New York court on Monday in the trial of Abu Hamza al-Masri, the radical Islamic cleric extradited from the UK who faces charges he conspired to support al-Qaida, partly by setting up training camps in Oregon.Jury selection began amid tight security in a New York court on Monday in the trial of Abu Hamza al-Masri, the radical Islamic cleric extradited from the UK who faces charges he conspired to support al-Qaida, partly by setting up training camps in Oregon.
Before the trial opened, trained sniffer dogs were led in and officers conducted a radiation sweep of the Manhattan courtroom. The trial opened with the selection of 12 jurors and 4 alternates.Before the trial opened, trained sniffer dogs were led in and officers conducted a radiation sweep of the Manhattan courtroom. The trial opened with the selection of 12 jurors and 4 alternates.
Wearing a blue t-shirt, grey sweat pants and glasses, the white-haired preacher was instructed to stand as judge Katherine Forrest told jurors he had both hands amputated. She asked them if there was anything about his appearance or disability that would affect their ability to be impartial.Wearing a blue t-shirt, grey sweat pants and glasses, the white-haired preacher was instructed to stand as judge Katherine Forrest told jurors he had both hands amputated. She asked them if there was anything about his appearance or disability that would affect their ability to be impartial.
Abu Hamza, who is also missing an eye, claims to have lost both hands while fighting against Soviet forces in Afghanistan. He was not wearing his trademark prosthetic hook, which had been removed for security purposes.Abu Hamza, who is also missing an eye, claims to have lost both hands while fighting against Soviet forces in Afghanistan. He was not wearing his trademark prosthetic hook, which had been removed for security purposes.
A single prosthetic device with a pen attached lay on the table in front of him.A single prosthetic device with a pen attached lay on the table in front of him.
Abu Hamza has informed the judge and his lawyers he will testify on his own behalf. In a pretrial hearing last week, he told the judge: “I think I am innocent. I need to go through it, have a chance to defend myself.”Abu Hamza has informed the judge and his lawyers he will testify on his own behalf. In a pretrial hearing last week, he told the judge: “I think I am innocent. I need to go through it, have a chance to defend myself.”
The grey-bearded Egyptian preacher, 55, indicted under the name Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, faces charges of setting up training camps in Bly, Oregon, 15 years ago, advocating jihad in Afghanistan and of ensuring there was satellite phone service for hostage takers in Yemen in 1998, in which three Britons and an Australian were killed.The grey-bearded Egyptian preacher, 55, indicted under the name Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, faces charges of setting up training camps in Bly, Oregon, 15 years ago, advocating jihad in Afghanistan and of ensuring there was satellite phone service for hostage takers in Yemen in 1998, in which three Britons and an Australian were killed.
He denies all charges.He denies all charges.
The prospective jurors were read a list of names of witnesses, entities and locations likely to come up in the trial, including the Finsbury Park mosque, in London, where Abu Hamza was an imam in the 1990s, the Dar-as-Salam mosque in Seattle, Washington; Bly, Oregon, as well as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen. They were also told of Saajid Badat, a British man who plotted with "shoe bomber" Richard Reid, to blow up airplanes who was due to testify against Abu Hamza. The prospective jurors were read a list of names of witnesses, entities and locations likely to come up in the trial, including the Finsbury Park mosque, in London, where Abu Hamza was an imam in the 1990s, the Dar-as-Salam mosque in Seattle, Washington; Bly, Oregon, as well as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen. They were also told of Saajid Badat, a British man who plotted with "shoe bomber" Richard Reid, to blow up airplanes who was due to testify against Abu Hamza.
Abu Hamza was jailed in 2004 in Britain, on separate charges of inciting racial hatred and encouraging supporters to kill non-Muslims. Members of the London mosque included Zacarias Moussaoui, a conspirator on the September 11 terror attacks and Reid.Abu Hamza was jailed in 2004 in Britain, on separate charges of inciting racial hatred and encouraging supporters to kill non-Muslims. Members of the London mosque included Zacarias Moussaoui, a conspirator on the September 11 terror attacks and Reid.
He was extradited to the US in 2012.He was extradited to the US in 2012.
Abu Hamza's trial is expected to last between four and five weeks. The court will not sit on Tuesday or Wednesday, due to the Jewish passover holiday, and opening statements are scheduled for Thursday.Abu Hamza's trial is expected to last between four and five weeks. The court will not sit on Tuesday or Wednesday, due to the Jewish passover holiday, and opening statements are scheduled for Thursday.
The trial comes a month after a Manhattan jury convicted Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, Osama bin Laden's son-in-law and al-Qaida's spokesman after the 2001 terrorist attacks, of charges that will likely result in a life sentence.The trial comes a month after a Manhattan jury convicted Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, Osama bin Laden's son-in-law and al-Qaida's spokesman after the 2001 terrorist attacks, of charges that will likely result in a life sentence.