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| Abu Hamza devoted his life to violent jihad, terror trial jury hears | Abu Hamza devoted his life to violent jihad, terror trial jury hears |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Abu Hamza al-Masri, the radical Islamist cleric on trial on terror charges in New York, was devoted to a life of violent jihad, encouraging his global followers that they had a religious obligation to kill, but changed his tune in the witness box, a Manhattan jury heard on Wednesday. | Abu Hamza al-Masri, the radical Islamist cleric on trial on terror charges in New York, was devoted to a life of violent jihad, encouraging his global followers that they had a religious obligation to kill, but changed his tune in the witness box, a Manhattan jury heard on Wednesday. |
| In his closing speech for the prosecution, Ian McGinley, the assistant district attorney for the southern district of New York, said Hamza “jumped at opportunities across the globe” in support of jihad: in Afghanistan, in Yemen, and in the US. | In his closing speech for the prosecution, Ian McGinley, the assistant district attorney for the southern district of New York, said Hamza “jumped at opportunities across the globe” in support of jihad: in Afghanistan, in Yemen, and in the US. |
| “Abu Hamza devoted his life to violent jihad. That was his choice. He spoke about it, he lived it, and he was proud of it,” McGinley said. | “Abu Hamza devoted his life to violent jihad. That was his choice. He spoke about it, he lived it, and he was proud of it,” McGinley said. |
| Hamza, 56, the former imam of Finsbury Park mosque in north London, was “enthralled by jihad”, McGinley said. “His speech, his writing, the documents in his mosque, the documents in his home, on his computer. Fighting, shooting, killing – all legitimate in the cause of jihad,” said McGinley. | Hamza, 56, the former imam of Finsbury Park mosque in north London, was “enthralled by jihad”, McGinley said. “His speech, his writing, the documents in his mosque, the documents in his home, on his computer. Fighting, shooting, killing – all legitimate in the cause of jihad,” said McGinley. |
| McGinley told the jury that the real Hamza, sitting just feet away, white-haired, in a blue T-shirt and black jogging pants, was a very different man from the one the jury had seen in the courtroom. “When he spoke about jihad, he wasn't the calm man you see in the witness stand. He was encouraging, he was enraged. Loud, screaming, passionate – he was his true self at the time. He wasn't in front of the jury when he said that.” | McGinley told the jury that the real Hamza, sitting just feet away, white-haired, in a blue T-shirt and black jogging pants, was a very different man from the one the jury had seen in the courtroom. “When he spoke about jihad, he wasn't the calm man you see in the witness stand. He was encouraging, he was enraged. Loud, screaming, passionate – he was his true self at the time. He wasn't in front of the jury when he said that.” |
| But once in the courtroom, he ran from those views, the jury heard. “[He said] he was just misunderstood. [That] his words were taken out of context,” McGinley said. “Ladies and gentleman, he lied to you.” | But once in the courtroom, he ran from those views, the jury heard. “[He said] he was just misunderstood. [That] his words were taken out of context,” McGinley said. “Ladies and gentleman, he lied to you.” |
| During four days of testimony, the cleric portrayed himself as a misunderstood individual. He said he was merely a “mouthpiece” for rebel groups in Yemen, and a “peacemaker” during the kidnapping of 16 tourists there in 1998 that left four people dead. | During four days of testimony, the cleric portrayed himself as a misunderstood individual. He said he was merely a “mouthpiece” for rebel groups in Yemen, and a “peacemaker” during the kidnapping of 16 tourists there in 1998 that left four people dead. |
| McGinley said that Hamza had praised every al-Qaida attack and had praised Osama bin Laden. “He told us in this courtroom that he still loved Osama bin Laden. Ladies and gentlemen, Abu Hamza would have you believe [that] nothing is as it seems.” | McGinley said that Hamza had praised every al-Qaida attack and had praised Osama bin Laden. “He told us in this courtroom that he still loved Osama bin Laden. Ladies and gentlemen, Abu Hamza would have you believe [that] nothing is as it seems.” |
| The prosecutor described the kidnapping in Yemen as a “brutal attack” on a sightseeing group. “In the defendant's words, 'this was a good thing'. It was justified,” he told the jury. | The prosecutor described the kidnapping in Yemen as a “brutal attack” on a sightseeing group. “In the defendant's words, 'this was a good thing'. It was justified,” he told the jury. |
| The prosecutor said Hamza sent his followers to Oregon, to Yemen and to Afghanistan. “These were his choices. But in the courtroom, he ran from each of these choices and decisions – which are at the core of his devotion to jihad.” | The prosecutor said Hamza sent his followers to Oregon, to Yemen and to Afghanistan. “These were his choices. But in the courtroom, he ran from each of these choices and decisions – which are at the core of his devotion to jihad.” |
| McGinley said that when confronted with the charges against him, Hamza said it was “everyone else's fault”. Hamza, McGinley said, blamed his followers, and “even blamed Mary Quin”, one of the kidnapped tourists. “How do we know he was not a peacemaker?” McGinley asked the jury. “Because he had absolutely no remorse. He had no remorse for Mary Quin, who went to see him a year after the attack.” | McGinley said that when confronted with the charges against him, Hamza said it was “everyone else's fault”. Hamza, McGinley said, blamed his followers, and “even blamed Mary Quin”, one of the kidnapped tourists. “How do we know he was not a peacemaker?” McGinley asked the jury. “Because he had absolutely no remorse. He had no remorse for Mary Quin, who went to see him a year after the attack.” |
| Hamza's taped interview with Quin, after she travelled to Finsbury Park mosque to confront him, was a “devastating confession” to the crime, McGinley said. On tape, Hamza failed to express any regret for what happened. | Hamza's taped interview with Quin, after she travelled to Finsbury Park mosque to confront him, was a “devastating confession” to the crime, McGinley said. On tape, Hamza failed to express any regret for what happened. |
| Quin and another tourist, Margaret Thompson, who was disabled in the attack, were held at gunpoint for over a day, as the kidnappers shot through their legs. Hamza's words afterwards, said McGinley, were: “Islamically, it is a good thing.” | Quin and another tourist, Margaret Thompson, who was disabled in the attack, were held at gunpoint for over a day, as the kidnappers shot through their legs. Hamza's words afterwards, said McGinley, were: “Islamically, it is a good thing.” |
| McGinley said that Hamza and Abu Hassan, the leader of the kidnapping, were partners. He cited the seven-minute conversation Hamza had with Hassan the night before the kidnapping. “What do you think they were talking about? Making peace?” | McGinley said that Hamza and Abu Hassan, the leader of the kidnapping, were partners. He cited the seven-minute conversation Hamza had with Hassan the night before the kidnapping. “What do you think they were talking about? Making peace?” |
| McGinley said that Hamza, in conversations with the kidnappers, had not asked for the hostages to be unharmed, but had asked for them to contact their embassies “to further the cause”. He added: “This is not being a mouthpiece; this is not being a peacemaker. The defendant never expressed remorse until it was convenient for him in the witness box.” | McGinley said that Hamza, in conversations with the kidnappers, had not asked for the hostages to be unharmed, but had asked for them to contact their embassies “to further the cause”. He added: “This is not being a mouthpiece; this is not being a peacemaker. The defendant never expressed remorse until it was convenient for him in the witness box.” |
| The jury were shown clips of TV interviews in Britain, when Hamza was asked about the links between five British men arrested in Yemen and the kidnapping. The arrests were made five days before the kidnapping. | The jury were shown clips of TV interviews in Britain, when Hamza was asked about the links between five British men arrested in Yemen and the kidnapping. The arrests were made five days before the kidnapping. |
| In one interview, with Jon Snow, of Channel 4 News, Hamza insisted there was no connection between the arrests and the kidnapping. This was in direct contrast, said McGinley, to what Hamza told Mary Quin: that she was snatched to pressure Yemen to release the five men. “His lies tell you that he planned the conspiracy and that he assisted Abu Hassam. He was no peacemaker.” | In one interview, with Jon Snow, of Channel 4 News, Hamza insisted there was no connection between the arrests and the kidnapping. This was in direct contrast, said McGinley, to what Hamza told Mary Quin: that she was snatched to pressure Yemen to release the five men. “His lies tell you that he planned the conspiracy and that he assisted Abu Hassam. He was no peacemaker.” |
| McGinley told the jury that he encouraged his followers to fight and to kill. “When you see these video, you see a man enthralled by jihad.” | McGinley told the jury that he encouraged his followers to fight and to kill. “When you see these video, you see a man enthralled by jihad.” |
| Hamza is charged with helping to organise the hostage-taking to obtain the release of several Britons, including his son, who had been arrested in Yemen on suspicion of bomb-making. Hamza admitted to providing a satellite phone to the kidnappers, but said he was merely a mouthpiece and a peacemaker. Hamza is also charged with attempting to set up a training camp in Bly, Oregon, and of providing support to terrorist groups, including al-Qaida in Afghanistan. | Hamza is charged with helping to organise the hostage-taking to obtain the release of several Britons, including his son, who had been arrested in Yemen on suspicion of bomb-making. Hamza admitted to providing a satellite phone to the kidnappers, but said he was merely a mouthpiece and a peacemaker. Hamza is also charged with attempting to set up a training camp in Bly, Oregon, and of providing support to terrorist groups, including al-Qaida in Afghanistan. |
| Hamza, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, faces life imprisonment if convicted. | Hamza, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, faces life imprisonment if convicted. |
| Summing up the government's closing arguments, McGinley said of Hamza: “It is long past the time that he was held responsible for the death and terror that he caused.” | |
| Jeremy Schneider, Hamza's defence attorney, said that the prosecution's case was about his clients words, not his deeds. “It’s not about what he said in the 1990s, it’s what he did” he said. | |
| “Sometimes people’s words are used to inform what someone did. Factually speaking this is not complicated. The part that’s difficult is the emotional part. When someone comes here who has been shot in the leg in an incident where four people died.” | |
| Turning to look at Hamza, he told the jury: “He is not an al-Qaeda guy, he is not a Taliban guy." | |
| In his closing speech of the five-week trial, Schneider made reference to the trial being held a New York courtroom, just a few streets from the scene of the World Trade Center attacks in September 2001. He asked the jury rhetorically if it was possible for a white supremacist to get a fair trial with an African American jury or a Nazi sympathiser to get a fair trial from an all-Jewish jury. | |
| “Can someone who has ranted and raved for years about anti-American government causes? Can he get a fair trial from an American jury in the shadow of the World Trade Center?" | |
| Schneider said he believed Hamza could get a fair trial “under the rules of this country” and asked the jury to recognise the difference between his words and his deeds. “Please recognise this is about the deeds he has done, not his words." | |
| “One of the things I find most ironic is we are in an American court, we are judging a non-American citizen and I am telling you he has rights under the American court of law even though he has made anti-American statements." | |
| He told the jury: “He is guilty. OK. He's guilty of being self-important. He is guilty of someone who was trying to play both sides in the world of religion and political issues.” | |
| “He's not guilty of giving support to Al Qaida. He is not guilty of giving support to the Taliban or starting wars against the Northern Alliance. He is guilty of giving money to a friend’s sick daughter." | |
| Schneider dismissed the prosecutions claims that Hamza was behind the setting up of a jihad training camp in Bly, Oregon, or that indeed, there was ever a coherent plan for a training camp. “It was a retreat, a compound where it was legal to shoot, to have camp fires,” he said. | |
| “The front line? It was kind of like a vacation. Having somebody teach you something is not a crime. But if you don’t do anything with it, if you don’t go to the frontline, it’s not a crime. Even if the person training you turned out to be a God damn terrorist would that make you guilty unless you did something with it.” | |
| He said the camp was set up by James Ujaama, a paid witness for the government who had given evidence against Hamza. | |
| “It was a Muslim compound for families. It was Ujaama’s idea. He thought he had to get Abu Hamza to buy in, not money, but he thought it would give the plan automatic legitimacy. Ujaama could say look I’ve got a fully-fledged imam from London, he will be the one giving speeches. Ujaama neded to get Hamza there, he needed to bring him in.” | |
| Schneider dismissed Ujaama's evidence to the court that the camp was for jihad training. He said that, instead, they were “armed patrols” sitting around the camp fire telling stories like “cub scouts”. | |
| “There was nobody out there to be trained,” he said. “Nobody paid a cent to be trained. When it ended, if it was so important why did Hamza let it die?” | |
| Schneider explained several Arabic words and phrases to the jury and told them: “Jihad means struggle. It can mean struggling to pick up a banana skin." | |
| The trial continues. |