Hamza ‘used his faith to conceal world terror role’
ABu Hamza ‘hid in plain sight’ at London’s notorious Finsbury Park Mosque, posing as a firebrand imam while secretly engaged in a ‘global campaign to spread terror’, a court heard yesterday.
The 56-year- old former nightclub bouncer used the mosque as a base from which to try to make hundreds of converts to his creed of violent jihad, prosecutor Edward Kim told a courtroom in Manhattan.
He sent his followers as far afield as the western united States and Afghanistan in the cause of killing non-Muslims, said Mr Kim.
Mr Kim said: ‘His goals were clear, simple and vicious. All able-bodied Muslims had a duty to wage war against non-Muslims – a duty to kill.’
Hamza’s hooks had been removed for security reasons, replaced by a pen-holding prosthetic on his right arm that allowed him to take notes.
Although Judge Katherine Forrest denied his request to give the defence’s opening statement himself, Hamza replied politely to her on the sole occasion he was asked to speak yesterday in response to a technical question about his case.
He listened quietly as the prosecution painted a damning picture of a man who did far more than simply praise terrorism.
‘Abu Hamza didn’t just talk the talk, he walked the walk,’ said Mr Kim. ‘He was a trainer of terrorists who used the cover of religion so he could hide in plain sight in London.’
The jury heard that when police searched the mosque’s attic they found military equipment including gas masks, knives, flak jackets and chemical warfare suits. The jury was also told that Hamza sent two men to establish a terror training base in Oregon and another to become an Al Qaeda fighter in Afghanistan.
Hamza denies 11 charges. If found guilty, he faces a life sentence.
Joshua Dratel, defending, said Hamza had simply been a devoted community leader who had worked to rebuild Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion. The case continues.
Hamza was arrested in Britain a decade ago on a uS warrant, starting an extradition battle that cost uK taxpayers more than £ 2million. He was f i nall y e xtr adited in October 2012.