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| Life Sentence for British Cleric Who Helped Plan 1998 Kidnappings in Yemen | Life Sentence for British Cleric Who Helped Plan 1998 Kidnappings in Yemen |
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| A fiery British cleric who was convicted last year of 11 terrorism-related charges, including helping to orchestrate the violent 1998 kidnappings of 16 American, British and other tourists in Yemen, was sentenced in Manhattan on Friday to life in prison. | A fiery British cleric who was convicted last year of 11 terrorism-related charges, including helping to orchestrate the violent 1998 kidnappings of 16 American, British and other tourists in Yemen, was sentenced in Manhattan on Friday to life in prison. |
| The cleric, Mostafa Kamel Mostafa, 56, a former imam at the Finsbury Park mosque in North London, had “worked tirelessly to drive his young, impressionable followers to participate in acts of violence and murder across the globe,” prosecutors had told the judge, Katherine B. Forrest of United States District Court, in a sentencing memorandum. | The cleric, Mostafa Kamel Mostafa, 56, a former imam at the Finsbury Park mosque in North London, had “worked tirelessly to drive his young, impressionable followers to participate in acts of violence and murder across the globe,” prosecutors had told the judge, Katherine B. Forrest of United States District Court, in a sentencing memorandum. |
| Four people taken hostage in the kidnappings were killed during a Yemeni rescue operation after they were used as human shields by their captors, members of a militant group aligned with Mr. Mostafa, testimony at his six-week trial showed. | Four people taken hostage in the kidnappings were killed during a Yemeni rescue operation after they were used as human shields by their captors, members of a militant group aligned with Mr. Mostafa, testimony at his six-week trial showed. |
| “It’s very important to me that you have not expressed sympathy or remorse” for the victims, Judge Forrest said. “With the passage of time, their names have not been lost,” she added, and then said each name aloud: Margaret Whitehouse, Peter Rowe, Ruth Williamson and Andrew Thirsk. | “It’s very important to me that you have not expressed sympathy or remorse” for the victims, Judge Forrest said. “With the passage of time, their names have not been lost,” she added, and then said each name aloud: Margaret Whitehouse, Peter Rowe, Ruth Williamson and Andrew Thirsk. |
| Of Mr. Mostafa’s efforts to recruit others to kill, the judge said: “It’s barbaric. It’s misguided. It’s wrong.” | Of Mr. Mostafa’s efforts to recruit others to kill, the judge said: “It’s barbaric. It’s misguided. It’s wrong.” |
| The government had sought a life sentence for Mr. Mostafa, who is also known as Abu Hamza al-Masri. “The defendant’s crimes truly spanned the globe, from Yemen to Afghanistan to the United States,” a prosecutor, Edward Y. Kim, said in court on Friday. | The government had sought a life sentence for Mr. Mostafa, who is also known as Abu Hamza al-Masri. “The defendant’s crimes truly spanned the globe, from Yemen to Afghanistan to the United States,” a prosecutor, Edward Y. Kim, said in court on Friday. |
| After Judge Forrest imposed the sentence, Preet Bharara, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement, “Abu Hamza’s blood-soaked journey from cleric to convict, from Imam to inmate, is now complete.” | After Judge Forrest imposed the sentence, Preet Bharara, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement, “Abu Hamza’s blood-soaked journey from cleric to convict, from Imam to inmate, is now complete.” |
| He added that Mr. Mostafa, who was extradited from Britain in 2012 after a lengthy legal battle, “finally faced justice, as all those who engage in terrorism against innocent civilians must, here in the U.S., and all around the globe, as the terrible events in Paris remind us.” | He added that Mr. Mostafa, who was extradited from Britain in 2012 after a lengthy legal battle, “finally faced justice, as all those who engage in terrorism against innocent civilians must, here in the U.S., and all around the globe, as the terrible events in Paris remind us.” |
| Mr. Mostafa was also convicted of supporting terrorism by sending one of his followers to train with Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, and of trying to create a terrorist training camp in Bly, Ore. | Mr. Mostafa was also convicted of supporting terrorism by sending one of his followers to train with Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, and of trying to create a terrorist training camp in Bly, Ore. |
| At trial, prosecutors also introduced statements by Mr. Mostafa in which he spoke approvingly of Al Qaeda’s bombing of the American destroyer Cole in Yemen in 2000, and described Osama bin Laden as “a hero.” | At trial, prosecutors also introduced statements by Mr. Mostafa in which he spoke approvingly of Al Qaeda’s bombing of the American destroyer Cole in Yemen in 2000, and described Osama bin Laden as “a hero.” |
| Judge Forrest said that she had listened again to Mr. Mostafa’s speeches, and quoted some excerpts, including one in which he said, “Everybody was happy when the planes hit the World Trade Center.” | Judge Forrest said that she had listened again to Mr. Mostafa’s speeches, and quoted some excerpts, including one in which he said, “Everybody was happy when the planes hit the World Trade Center.” |
| Sam A. Schmidt, a defense lawyer, asked that the judge impose a sentence short of life imprisonment, so that his client could have a chance to spend “some of his last few years of his life with his family.” | Sam A. Schmidt, a defense lawyer, asked that the judge impose a sentence short of life imprisonment, so that his client could have a chance to spend “some of his last few years of his life with his family.” |
| The defense, citing what it called promises made by the United States during Mr. Mostafa’s extradition, had also asked the judge to order or recommend that he be sent to a federal Bureau of Prisons medical center because of his disabilities. | The defense, citing what it called promises made by the United States during Mr. Mostafa’s extradition, had also asked the judge to order or recommend that he be sent to a federal Bureau of Prisons medical center because of his disabilities. |
| Mr. Mostafa has long worn metal hooks as prostheses on his arms after losing his forearms and an eye in a chemical explosion in 1993, when he was working as a civil engineer in Lahore, Pakistan, an episode he testified about at trial. | Mr. Mostafa has long worn metal hooks as prostheses on his arms after losing his forearms and an eye in a chemical explosion in 1993, when he was working as a civil engineer in Lahore, Pakistan, an episode he testified about at trial. |
| Judge Forrest refused the request, saying the Bureau of Prisons was “best positioned” to decide the issue. | Judge Forrest refused the request, saying the Bureau of Prisons was “best positioned” to decide the issue. |
| The judge noted that Mr. Mostafa, with his education and intelligence, could have chosen a different path in life, but did not. She said she had considered whether a shorter sentence would be appropriate, but had rejected the idea. “I don’t believe that the world would be safe with you in 10 years or 15 years,” she said. | The judge noted that Mr. Mostafa, with his education and intelligence, could have chosen a different path in life, but did not. She said she had considered whether a shorter sentence would be appropriate, but had rejected the idea. “I don’t believe that the world would be safe with you in 10 years or 15 years,” she said. |
| Mr. Mostafa, addressing the judge, said that he continued to “maintain my innocence.” He also complained about the harshness of the jail conditions under which he had been held in New York, making it clear that he wanted to be sent to a prison that could accommodate his medical needs. | Mr. Mostafa, addressing the judge, said that he continued to “maintain my innocence.” He also complained about the harshness of the jail conditions under which he had been held in New York, making it clear that he wanted to be sent to a prison that could accommodate his medical needs. |
| Judge Forrest suggested his predicament was largely of his own making. The 1993 explosion in which he lost his forearms, she noted, had occurred five years before he undertook the first of the crimes — the Yemen kidnappings — for which he was charged and convicted. | Judge Forrest suggested his predicament was largely of his own making. The 1993 explosion in which he lost his forearms, she noted, had occurred five years before he undertook the first of the crimes — the Yemen kidnappings — for which he was charged and convicted. |
| “You understood the limitations you were operating under,” the judge said, adding, “You knew the risks.” | “You understood the limitations you were operating under,” the judge said, adding, “You knew the risks.” |